In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Ayesha Rashid speaks with Laura Williams, MD, MPH, chief patient officer at Ardelyx, a company developing and commercializing first-in-class medicines for diseases like chronic kidney disease (CKD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Dr. Williams brings nearly 30 years of experience in clinical development, drug strategy and patient advocacy. With leadership roles across big pharma and biotech — including Abbott, Myovant and AMAG Pharmaceuticals — her impact is marked by eight FDA drug approvals and a relentless focus on improving patient outcomes. Before joining Ardelyx, Dr. Williams was SVP and head of clinical development and biostatistics at AMAG Pharmaceuticals, overseeing four investigational assets and two marketed products. She previously served as VP of clinical development at Myovant Sciences and spent 18 years at Abbott/AbbVie, where she led global clinical programs and managed the general medicine therapeutic area. Dr. Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University, a Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Iowa and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from University of Washington, where she also completed a clinical fellowship in infectious diseases. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at University of Michigan, where she also served as Chief Resident and Junior Faculty. Tune in as Dr. Williams shares how her unique blend of scientific expertise and deep commitment to the patient voice drives innovation at Ardelyx. She discusses the evolving, up-and-coming role of chief patient officer, key lessons learned, the challenges of patient-centric drug development and what’s ahead in addressing critical unmet medical needs. For more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage. https://xtalks.com/vitals/ Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: https://twitter.com/XtalksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtalks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferencesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured