AI-Driven Drug Naming with Nancy Globus, PharmD, and Jenna Wise
In Episode 377 of The Pharmacist's Voice® Podcast, I talk with Nancy Globus, PharmD, and Jenna Wise from Addison Whitney, now known as AW. We explore how their specialized AI tool, Ari, helps develop brand and generic drug names—and why those names are intentionally unique. Links for this episode Dr. Nancy Globus, PharmD on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-globus-pharmd-3502259/ Jenna Wise on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennawise/ The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast Episode 62 with Nancy Globus, PharmD https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/episode-62-interview-with-nancy-globus-pharmd-medication-safety-expert/ The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast Episode 91 with Bill Purdy https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/episode-91-interview-with-bill-purdy-brand-craftsman/ https://addisonwhitney.com/ Scroll to the bottom of the show notes for Kim's websites, social media links, and more. Highlights from this episode What do Nancy and Jenna contribute to drug naming? Nancy is AW's Vice President of Regulatory and Medication Safety. A pharmacist with about 25 years of experience in medication safety, she focuses on preventing confusion and medication errors involving names, labels, and packaging. Jenna is AW's Associate Creative Director and leads its verbal design team. She describes herself as a professional "word maker upper," with more than 17 years of experience. Her team creates generic names, trade names, corporate identities, and more. Creative work and safety review are closely connected. What is Ari, and what was it designed to do? Nancy describes Ari as a purpose-built AI tool developed to assist with name creation. The team incorporates decades of naming knowledge into its prompts, including linguistic concerns, naming restrictions, and product strategy. Ari helps generate and explore ideas, but using it effectively requires expertise. Nancy and Jenna guide the process, refine the possibilities, and apply human judgment. Naming remains an iterative collaboration with the client. What problems does Ari help solve? Jenna explains that the available space for new names keeps shrinking. A candidate must fit within overlapping requirements for safety and regulatory review, trademarks, and brand strategy. Traditionally, teams created large volumes of names, knowing many would be eliminated during screening. Ari helps them explore promising possibilities more efficiently and present a smaller, more focused selection. That can reduce the client's decision fatigue while supporting collaboration and consensus. What can the team do more efficiently or explore more deeply? Previously, creative team members moved among different websites and databases to complete preliminary screens. Jenna says integrating that screening into Ari gives them more time to create. They can explore letter combinations, develop ideas further, and collaborate with clients in real time. Nancy adds that human safety and trademark reviews still occur. Preliminary screening helps remove unsuitable options before clients become attached to them. Will Ari replace their jobs? Both guests emphasize the value of human expertise. Nancy points to medication-safety pharmacists who understand how errors occur and trademark analysts who interpret the naming landscape. Jenna highlights the human experience and inspiration involved in creating distinctive names and meaningful brands. Nancy also reminds us that medication errors are multifactorial. Names, packaging, workflows, and the surrounding healthcare system can all contribute. Evaluating a name requires understanding that larger picture. How do brand and generic name development differ? Nancy explains that nonproprietary, or generic, names are grounded in science. Their stems relate to pharmacologic classes, and a distinguishing prefix is added. A lengthy stem can help explain why a generic name has so many syllables; there is no blanket requirement that it contain four or more. Jenna explains that trade names offer more room for storytelling and an emotional connection through brand strategy. However, names still have restrictions, including avoiding inappropriate claims. Ari can support both processes, with prompts tailored to their requirements. How has Ari changed collaboration around safety? Safety and trademark specialists are involved earlier. Jenna describes project-specific word fragments the team calls "morphemera." Before work begins in Ari, specialists can assess whether those building blocks are viable and where they might fit within a name. That early input improves the prompts and helps the creative team explore promising directions. It also reduces the chance of discovering a major obstacle after a name has become a favorite. Why should pharmacy professionals appreciate unusual drug names? Their uniqueness is intentional. Nancy emphasizes patient safety: distinct names are developed to help prevent confusion. We also discuss how generic-name stems provide clinical clues and how distinctive names can support clearer communication. As Jenna says, "true love takes time." An unfamiliar name may become easier to recognize with repeated exposure. Understanding the work behind it can also build appreciation. Ari is changing how AW approaches naming, but the purpose remains familiar: developing distinctive names with safety in mind. Listen to Episode 377 for the conversation and a closer look at the people behind those unusual words. Background - Addison Whitney (AW) powered by Syneos Health (Sept 2026) AW, powered by Syneos Health is a healthcare branding agency that brings brands to life with intention. With fearless creativity, deep healthcare expertise, and a process designed to uncover what makes brands unforgettable, AW turns complex science into clarity. Specializing in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device branding and naming, AW helps organizations navigate the intersection of innovation, regulation, and storytelling to build brands that matter. Nancy J. Globus, PharmD, VP Regulatory and Medication Safety, Chattanooga, TN, USA (Sept 2026) I am a clinically trained pharmacist with more than 25 years of experience specializing in pharmaceutical nomenclature and global name review strategy. I bring deep expertise to evaluating and shaping invented names to support successful submissions to the FDA, European Medicines Agency, Health Canada, and others. I enjoy navigating complex naming challenges that sit at the intersection of regulatory guidance, medication safety, and brand strategy. One of my favorite nomenclature puzzles is evaluating dual branding strategies, such as those employed with the popular GLP-1 products. I'm known for helping client teams solve high stakes naming issues such as global name harmonization, line extensions, and justifications to overcome regulatory objections, while keeping patient safety at the heart of the endeavor. I had no idea that back in the 1980s when my father was quizzing me on drug names during slow times at our community pharmacy that it would evolve into a career in branding. My early days in front of the pharmacy counter also ignited my love for cosmetics—particularly nail polish and fragrance, reflected in my hobby of maintaining an extensive, well-curated, and colorful collection. Key Clients: · Novartis · Teva · Novo Nordisk · Roche · Civica Jenna C. Wise, Associate Creative Director, Verbal Design, Charlotte, NC, USA (Sept 2026) I am a creative and strategic writer with more than 17 years' experience crafting brand names, capturing voices and stories, and guiding clients through the brand design journey. I specialize in bringing creative thinking and clarity to complex projects. I'm known for my expertise in the craft of verbal design, including brand naming and strategic writing. Whether leading a workshop or presenting potential brand names and stories, I am innovative, intuitive, and inclusive. I've been lucky to be part of the team that has built Ari™, AW's AI-powered naming application, bringing long-overdue transformation of an outdated method. I'm inspired by shapes and movement in art such as dance and poetry because I know how much control and commitment it takes to make hard work seem effortless. Key accounts and clients: Big pharma: · AstraZeneca · Boehringer Ingelheim · Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines · Merck, Novartis · Novo Nordisk · Pfizer · Roche Smaller pharma: · Annexon · Chiesi · Daiichi Sankyo · Dr. Reddy's · Ionis · Moleculin · Rezolute · Viatris · Xenon MedTech or other: · GE HealthCare · Integra Life Sciences · Medtronic · Microsoft · Panasonic · ResMed Kim's websites and social media links: ✅ Monthly email newsletter sign-up link https://bit.ly/3AHJIaF ✅ LinkedIn Newsletter link https://bit.ly/40VmV5B ✅ Guest application form https://bit.ly/41iGogX ✅ Business website https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com ✅ The Pharmacist's Voice ® Podcast https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast ✅ Podcasting course https://www.kimnewlove.com/podcasting ✅ eBook and audiobook about podcasting https://amzn.to/4ppx8Qu ✅ Drug pronunciation course https://www.kimnewlove.com/pronunciations ✅ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnewlove ✅ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kim.newlove.96 ✅ Twitter https://twitter.com/KimNewloveVO ✅ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimnewlovevo/ ✅ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA3UyhNBi9CCqIMP8t1wRZQ ✅ ACX (Audiobook Narrator Profile) https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A10FSORRTANJ4Z ✅ Start a podcast with my coach, Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting! Click my affiliate link: https://community.schoolofpodcasting.com/invitation?code=G43D3G *New 12-4-25* 🐝 The Perrysburg Podcast (my other podcast) https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com Thank you for listening to episode 377 of The Pharmacist's Voice ® Podcast. If you know someone who would like this episode, please share it with them!
