Innovating for Good

April 24, 2024

Applying a toddler’s mindset to build resiliency and improve our world

By: Linnea Texin, Executive Director, Corporate Responsibility 

Regeneron scientist looking into a microscope.

Most evenings, I come home from the office and my adorable three-year-old hits me with a torrent of "whys" about the world around us. Why doesn’t the sun shine at night? Why does a car have four wheels? Why can’t I have ice cream for dinner? Honestly, I think some of the questions she comes up with could stump even the wisest philosopher.

This incessant spirit of inquiry isn't too different from my day job at Regeneron. We're grown-ups that are still never tired of asking "why" about, well, everything. We don't just accept things as they are. We poke, prod and question everything in our endless quest to bring important new medicines to people in need.

The time is hopefully coming when the most challenging diseases of today will be a footnote in our history, and that’s because brilliant minds — like those of my colleagues — are constantly asking big questions: Why does the human body effectively combat certain diseases but not others? How can we knock down barriers to patient access? What medical insights lie hidden within the human genome?

We’ll uncover those answers, because at Regeneron, we blend wonder and curiosity with innovative science to make the world a better, healthier place.

Leading Corporate Responsibility at Regeneron, I am inspired to see my inquisitive and ambitious colleagues come together to tackle many of the pressing challenges facing our society. We believe by focusing our unique resources and expertise on the issues that matter most to our business and stakeholders, we can build resiliency and improve our world.

In 2020, we launched our 2025 responsibility goals, which span our three strategic focus areas:

  • Improving the lives of people with serious diseases
  • Fostering a culture of integrity and excellence
  • Building sustainable communities

We are pleased with the progress we have made. With approximately 35 product candidates in clinical development, we are continuing to leverage our advanced antibody technologies and insights from the Regeneron Genetics Center® (RGCTM) to lead the charge in creating treatments for previously untreatable conditions. And we know that access to these and our other groundbreaking treatments is a priority. That’s why, in 2023, we were proud to have the first Zaire ebolavirus treatment to be prequalified by the World Health Organization — an important step toward facilitating patient access to this life-saving treatment in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

As we expand globally and embrace new innovations, such as artificial intelligence (AI) tools that show promise in accelerating our progress, we recognize the importance of nurturing our culture of integrity. To this end, we launched a EUCAN (Europe and Canada) Corporate Compliance Committee and established the Regeneron AI Advisory Committee and guidelines for responsible use of AI.

The integrity and ingenuity of our colleagues are essential to our success. We invest heavily in attracting, developing and retaining top talent and creating a supportive and inclusive workplace where they can thrive. We are proud that 88 percent of our colleagues agree Regeneron is a great place to work.

We also know that investing in science, technology engineering and math (STEM) education waters the seeds of the next generation of scientific innovators. Last year, we renewed our title sponsorship of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest competition of its kind for high school students, with a $34 million commitment over five years. The RGC also became a founding partner of the Together for CHANGE™ initiative with Nashville's Meharry Medical College and other biopharma partners, with a 10-year commitment to tackle health disparities and support STEM education in Black communities, further supported by Regeneron’s $5 million investment in Nashville's STEM ecosystem.

Equally as important is our work to protect and restore our planet for these future generations. We are working at our sites and within our communities to increase renewable energy usage, conserve natural resources, reduce waste and protect biodiversity. Our commitment is evident throughout our campus with solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and a growing number of My Green Lab®-certified labs. Last year, eight of our labs achieved the highest level (green) of certification.

As we expand around the world, we aim to set new benchmarks for what it means to be a leader at the intersection of science and society. We are motivated by the belief that the work we are doing now — the barriers we are breaking, the discoveries we are making — will make the world, and Regeneron, better. So, we’ll continue innovating for patients — and we’ll keep my toddler’s example front and center: question everything.

Below are several additional highlights from 2023 — I encourage you to read more in our 2023 Responsibility Report.

 Graphic of Report Highlights: Improving the lives of people with serious diseases, Fostering a culture of integrity and excellence, and Building sustainable communities.

References

  1. Regeneron patient assistance programs are limited to patients living in the U.S. states and territories.
  2. Based on 2023 year-end wholesale acquisition cost.
  3. Vice president and above.
  4. Based on full-time U.S. employees, vice president and above, who disclose race or ethnicity. Denominator excludes those who do not disclose such information.
  5. The average percentage of employee volunteering is based on Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) 2023 Giving in Numbers Report.
  6. Relative to 2016 peak baseline.