Listen: How Omeros Fosters a Connection with the Patient

As the Director of Advocacy and Patient Reimbursement Services at Omeros Corporation, Karin Mitchell says she has the “happiest job.” 

Patient well-being is at the heart of Omeros’ mission to develop innovative new medicines, and Mitchell’s role is vital to the company’s patient-centric approach. From Omeros’ Seattle office overlooking the waters of Elliott Bay, Mitchell works with patient advocacy groups and clinical societies to better understand the challenges experienced by patients that Omeros seeks to serve.

“It’s often easy in research to get separated from what the end goal is,” said Mitchell. “You’re in the lab, you’re focused on doing your research, and you know that there’s a patient out there, but you don’t necessarily have a tangible connection.” 

Omeros’ AGORA program is one of the many ways the company fosters this connection and keeps patients at the center of its work. Modeled after the agoras of ancient Greek cities – open spaces that served as civically focused “public squares” for the citizens – Omeros’ AGORA program invites patients to connect with employees and share their experiences living with a disease or condition relevant to Omeros’ drug development programs. These forums enable Mitchell and her colleagues to gain a deeper understanding of the patient journey in a given disease and to incorporate this perspective into all phases of drug development. From discovery, to clinical trials, to commercialization – hearing directly from patients inspires Omeros employees and keeps the human connection at the center of their work.

“The life science industry has thrived over the past few decades here in Washington,” Mitchell said. “The environment in this area promotes scientific excellence and innovation, and it’s been really exciting to watch it grow, bringing innovative therapies to patients around the world.”

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Sponsored by Life Science Washington and Omeros.