Up Close and Personal With Eryn Corriveau, MSc, Senior Director, Drug Development and Regulatory Strategy
Here at Altasciences, Eryn is responsible for guiding regulatory strategies, conducting gap analyses, and leading interactions with regulatory agencies dur
ing early drug development. As if that isn’t enough, she is also working toward her PhD, with research focusing on the impact of supramental awareness on disease prevention, healing, and health. Eryn has a wealth of expertise in diverse therapeutic areas and, after her experiences with battling cancer, a commitment to advancing the pharmaceutical industry by merging conventional and alternative treatments into one model.
Get to know Eryn with this Q&A:
What motivated you to pursue a doctorate degree?
I always wanted to earn a PhD but was uncertain about what I wanted to study. Then fate intervened. Quite some time ago now, I was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer: cholangiocarcinoma. I had a Whipple procedure that gave me a pretty good head start at winning the battle, but I also had poor prognostic factors and knew I needed more. I started researching natural treatments and discovered an exceptional data set in the public domain that guided many of my own treatment choices over the years. This led me to pursue a higher degree in researching natural compounds, our ability to intuitively assess the state of our own terrains, and how to apply these concepts to the prevention of cancer recurrence. One might think it is a bit paradoxical to have dedicated my professional career to progressing drug candidates and seeing many of them approved, but I don’t think it is. I see a complementary approach as being critical to achieving optimal health, and I continue to search for ways to merge both conventional and alternative treatments into one model.
Why did you choose to work in regulatory affairs?
As a post-graduate student in the mid-nineties, I was conducting research on human subjects. While I enjoyed data collection, it was writing my thesis in which complex data was described and interpreted that really invigorated me. Making sense out of numbers is a skill I became determined to develop. At this same time, a large pharmaceutical company invited our graduating class to a retreat where they introduced us to their different departments. This is when I was introduced to regulatory affairs! I immediately recognized the importance of being able to write a compelling story and being able to interpret data for its consistency with regulatory guidance. I decided then and there that regulatory affairs was where I needed to be when I graduated.
What do you like the most about your job?
I once told a coworker that I feel like a kid in a candy store here at Altasciences—so much science, so much talent, so many interesting cases, and so many solutions to be found! Above all else, regulatory affairs is a problem-solving discipline. It is our role to find solutions in often complex, high-pressure situations, to minimize risk and progress our clients forward.
did you ever have a dream job in mind?
Not really, although I contemplated medical school for a while. But then I dated a medical student in my first year of university and soon realized I did not think I could handle an entire class of people like him for four to eight years (no offense to MDs everywhere!). After a couple of years, I abandoned said boyfriend and ideas of medical school, went to graduate school, and have never looked back.
What is one of your proudest achievements?
There are a few achievements I am especially proud of; I have:
- raised my now 11-year-old as a single working mom;
- become a health coach and voluntarily help cancer patients in remission from around the world;
- run a few marathons;
- co-founded a pharma company;
- bought my own home;
- completed degrees; and
- snowboarded on some of the world’s most impressive mountains.
Opportunity leads me, and I just make sure I keep my eyes open. So maybe that is the real answer: Because of that, I think my greatest achievement is still to come.
What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
When I am not working or studying, I spend more time than I probably should in Virtual Reality—cycling, playing golf, completing 3D puzzles, meditating, and even snowboarding. It is challenging and surprisingly addictive! Boxing, in particular, is very therapeutic.
What is a quote that's meaningful to you?
“Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” — Coach John Wooden
Contact Eryn here to discuss your regulatory needs.