Women in STEM: Unique Impacts in Rare Disease Development

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is February 11.^1.2 Klaudia Lechowska, Business Development Specialist at Mabion Biologics, provides her perspectives on the importance of encouraging girls to learn about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, and how women impact rare disease treatment innovation. She also discusses Mabion’s biosimilar to rituximab, MabionCD20, which is a monoclonal antibody granted orphan drug designation by FDA to treat membraneous nephropathy³ and and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).⁴

PharmTech: Can you please give our audience a bit of background on your role and expertise?

Lechowska (Mabion Biologics): My name is Klaudia and I have been working at Mabion for four years. I started my career as a bBioprocess tTechnician in the mManufacturing dDepartment, where I was responsible for cell culture operations at both small scale, such as shake flasks, and large production scale in bioreactors. This experience gave me a strong technical background and a solid understanding of bioprocessing operations. Currently, I work as a bBusiness dDevelopment sSpecialist, where I develop my negotiation skills and establish contacts with potential clients interested in our contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) services.

What are some of the benefits of STEM programs for girls in school? How do these programs translate to women building careers in the pharmaceutical industry?

I believe STEM programs play an important role in encouraging girls to explore science and technology from an early age. These programs help build confidence and show that technical fields can be interesting and accessible for everyone.

From my own experience, early exposure to technical education makes it easier to understand how scientific knowledge is used in real-life industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. STEM programs help girls develop problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking skills, which are essential in this industry.

My career path, from working in manufacturing to my current role in business development, shows how valuable it is to combine technical knowledge with communication and business skills. This is exactly what STEM education supports and why it creates a strong foundation for women building long-term careers in the biotech and pharma industry.

How do women working in STEM fields uniquely contribute to areas such as rare disease treatment development?

Women make up around 60% of the global pharmaceutical workforce. However, they hold only 25% of senior leadership roles and fewer than 10% of CEO positions in biopharma.

Women in STEM bring diverse perspectives that are especially valuable in rare disease research. These conditions are complex and require innovative thinking. Attention to detail, empathy, and collaboration help teams better understand unmet patient needs and create more patient-focused solutions.

Despite the leadership gap, strong female representation in the industry can help challenge stereotypes. It can also inspire the next generation of female scientists and researchers. Progress in rare diseases depends on close collaboration between science, manufacturing, and business teams. Many women lead health advocacy efforts in this field. Leaders such as Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, CEO of Vertex, and Sharon F. Terry, President and CEO of Genetic Alliance, bring valuable perspectives as mothers and caregivers. This is especially important, as 70% of rare diseases affect children.⁵

What exciting innovations do you see on the horizon for the pharmaceutical industry?

I see many exciting innovations in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in advanced biologics and personalized medicine. These developments are making treatments more targeted and effective. The market has changed significantly in recent years. During the pandemic, many pharmaceutical companies grew rapidly due to increased demand. Today, the market is stabilizing. As a result, quality and safety are becoming top priorities in drug development. International partnerships make it possible to introduce new orphan drugs for rare diseases. Even before COVID-19, Mabion obtained orphan designation for MabionCD20, a biosimilar developed by the company. Overall, these innovations help the industry move faster, work smarter and deliver better solutions for patients.

Who are you inspired by in the pharmaceutical industry?

In addition to the leaders I mentioned earlier, I’m inspired by people in the pharmaceutical industry who combine strong scientific expertise with a deep sense of responsibility for patients. In particular, I value the scientists I have worked with who are committed to developing high-quality, safe therapies and who approach their work with curiosity, integrity and dedication.

One global figure I find especially inspiring is Katalin Karikó. Her groundbreaking work in messenger RNA technology, combined with years of perseverance in a male-dominated field, had an extraordinary impact on global health. Her dedication ultimately helped save millions of lives, and her story motivates me to break barriers and contribute to meaningful innovation in biotechnology. I believe her achievements are rightly recognized by honors such as the Nobel Prize, the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award and the Paul Karrer Medal.

What are you currently working on that you are passionate about?

Currently, I work in business development, where I focus on building relationships with potential clients and exploring new collaboration opportunities. What really excites me is connecting scientific and manufacturing expertise with real business needs and helping turn innovative ideas into real projects.

With my technical background, I enjoy acting as a bridge between science, manufacturing, and clients. Most importantly, knowing that these collaborations can lead to new therapies and improve patients’ lives is what motivates me every day. The feeling that my daily work can contribute to therapies that give patients hope is truly meaningful to me.

References

1. UN. International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February. UN.org. https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day
2. February 11. Women and Girls in Science. https://www.womeninscienceday.org/
3. Mabion S.A. Mabion Has Secured Approval from the FDA to Designate MabionCD20 as an Orphan Drug for the Indication of Membranous Nephropathy. Press Release. Jan. 27, 2023, https://www.mabion.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mabion-has-secured-approval-from-the-FDA-to-designate-MabionCD20-as-an-orphan-drug-for-the-indication-of-membranous-nephropathy.pdf
4. Mabion S. A. Mabion Has Received ODD Status from the FDA for the drug MabionCD20 in the Indication of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Press Release. Feb. 8, 2023, https://www.mabion.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mabion-has-received-ODD-status-from-the-FDA-for-the-drug-MabionCD20-in-the-indication-of-autoimmune-hemolytic-anemia.pdf
5. Dumbuya JS, Zeng C, Deng L, Li Y, Chen X, Ahmad B, Lu J. The impact of Rare Diseases on the Quality of Life in Paediatric Patients: CurrentSstatus. Front Public Health. 2025 Mar 24; 13: 1531583. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1531583/

About the interviewee

Klaudia Lechowska is Business Development Specialist at Mabion Biologics CDMO. Thanks to years of experience in the manufacturing area, Klaudia has a strong understanding of the realities of biologics production. She is familiar with CMC challenges and understands the needs of both manufacturing and quality teams. In business relationships, Klaudia focuses on partnership and a deep understanding of client needs. Privately, she combines her passion for biotechnology with animal care and self-development.