In EMJ GOLD’s latest Catalyst interview, AstraZeneca’s Dr Vikram Chand talks to Dr Julie-Ann Lough about his personal connection to breast cancer, how to tackle long standing inequities in oncology and the promise he sees in next generation ADCs
Interview by Dr Julie-Ann Lough
Recorded at the European Society For Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO) 2025 in Berlin, where oncology leaders gathered to discuss the latest advances in cancer care, this Catalyst interview provides valuable insight into the evolving oncology landscape.
The conversation considers the challenges faced by patients with triple negative breast cancer, the barriers that can limit equitable access to care and the potential of next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to expand treatment options, while highlighting the importance of ensuring advances in oncology reach the patients who need them most.
Speaker bios
Dr Vikram Chand
Dr Vikram Chand, Vice President, Global Franchise Head, AstraZeneca, brings over 15 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having worked across every stage of a medicine’s development, from early research to late phase trials and global registration. In his current role, he leads the clinical strategy for one of AstraZeneca’s antibody drug conjugate assets across multiple solid tumours, drawing on his background as a trained medical oncologist and haematologist to bridge scientific innovation with real world patient needs.
Beyond his day to day, though, he is guided by the belief that no patient population is too small and no cancer too difficult to treat. As a leader, his passion lies in defining a clear, patient centric vision, mapping an efficient path to achieve it and enabling his teams to make that vision a reality while continually advocating for better outcomes and broader clinical trial access.
Dr Julie-Ann Lough
Julie Ann is an award-winning broadcaster and producer based in the UK. Following completion of her PhD in Chemistry and a career in forensic science, she moved to media production working extensively in science and health broadcasting. She has produced content for both the BBC and commercial channels in the UK on both radio and television. She has designed various novel experiments, including large human intervention studies for TV in conjunction with expert scientists, some of which have been published in peer-review journals, and thoroughly enjoys finding creative ways to explain complex scientific concepts to the general public. Dr Lough is a passionate science communicator with a keen interest in public health.
