The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Industry Pharmacists Organization, or IPhO, Orlando chapter placed second out of 72 teams at the 2025-26 Value of Industry Pharmacists Case Competition. This virtual event, hosted by the national IPhO organization, is a competition where student pharmacists are given a theoretical drug and challenged to develop a full drug development plan across five key functional areas, which include clinical development, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, commercial/marketing and patient advocacy.
“Preparation for the competition was a highly structured and collaborative process that began months in advance,” said Feha Shahalam, a third-year student pharmacist in the UF College of Pharmacy and the Value of Industry Pharmacists Case Competition coordinator. “The combination of structured preparation, mentorship and real-world exposure allowed us to develop a strong final deliverable while building a deeper understanding of careers in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Each competing team was tasked with developing and delivering a 45-minute recorded presentation outlining their comprehensive drug development plan. This year, teams were challenged to present on the theoretical drug called Vipokibart. It was meant to treat moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis and had a novel mechanism of action as an anti-TL1A monoclonal antibody. This project displayed several unique challenges for the group, which included having to present the drug with no existing market competitors, as well as navigating a more complex and specialized approval pathway associated with biologic products from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Through building a full drug development plan and presenting it, students develop skills in teamwork, critical thinking, communication and strategic decision-making that closely mirror real industry work,” said Amy Le, a third-year student pharmacist in the UF College of Pharmacy and president of the IPhO Orlando chapter. “This competition is also highly beneficial for our graduates and fourth-year students, many of whom have successfully secured positions in the pharmaceutical industry or competitive fellowship programs.”
The work for the event was completed entirely outside of regular coursework, with students dedicating months to collaboration, conducting in-depth research and building a final submission that reflects real-world industry processes. This is the first time a UF chapter was named as a finalist in the competition.
“Our college is widely recognized for its strong clinical training and high residency match rates, but as more attention is brought to the diverse roles within pharmacy, this accomplishment highlights how we’re expanding beyond that and creating opportunities for students to explore and excel in the pharmaceutical industry,” Le said. “This competition has become a defining part of the IPhO experience on the Orlando campus, bringing together students with a wide range of interests and career goals who come together to gain exposure to the pharmaceutical industry.”
A total of 30 participants were on the Orlando team which were divided into five functional areas:
Value of Industry Pharmacists Case Competition Coordinator: Feha Shahalam
- Clinical Development Team
- Leads: Koralene Pearce and Matthew Duguay
- Members: Laura Arias, Tala Trabulsi, Kevin Liu and Erin Miller
- Regulatory Affairs Team
- Leads: Amy Le, Conner Booker
- Members: Maha Tayour, Ibtissam Rhiati, Julia Delmas and Tran Nguyen
- Medical Affairs Team
- Lead: Jordan McIntire
- Members: Adriana Vargas, Desiree Aguilar, Jadelynn Tejada, Jordanna Hammer, Savannah Carrier and Marcia Williams Jordan McIntire
- Commercial/Marketing Team
- Leads: Aaliyah Ali, Nuona Li
- Members: Catriona Flaherty, Madison Bremer and Cecilia Dai
- Patient Advocacy Team
- Lead: Feha Shahalam
- Members: Nick Vertullo, Emily Spotts, Kamille Hayes, Sanna Javadian and Kristen Shockley
Honorable mention: Ibna Shahalam