From the Marines to Rare Disease: How One Veteran Found His Next Mission at Alexion

At Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, the qualities that define exceptional military service—mission focus, decisiveness under pressure, and an unwavering commitment to something larger than yourself — are the same qualities that drive breakthroughs for patients living with rare diseases. That's why we actively seek veterans who are ready to channel their experience into purpose-driven careers in biopharma. Dan Zuniga's story is one example of what that path can look like.

As Vice President, US Business Unit Lead, Rare Neurology at Alexion, Dan leads a neurology team working on behalf of patients with rare conditions such as generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD), which often take a long time to be diagnosed. A biochemist-turned-pharma-leader-turned-Marine who returned to rare disease with sharper purpose, Dan brings a perspective on urgency, teamwork and patient care that is anything but ordinary. We sat down with Dan to learn about his path to Alexion and what he wants the world to understand about the patients his team serves.

Your path to rare disease is anything but linear. What's the thread that connects it all?

Growing up in Rochester, New York and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I was surrounded by a family of medical professionals, military history, and first responders. That's what drew me toward both pharma and the military.

I started as a biochemist doing bench research. I loved the science, but I talk too much and needed to get out and interact with people. That drew me to pharma sales. Then the Iraq War kicked off, and I felt that pull toward service. I put a pause on my pharmaceutical career and went on active duty into the U.S. Marine Corps as a ground intelligence officer, serving multiple tours in Iraq and Southeast Asia in both combat and humanitarian operations.

That mission-driven purpose is really the thread that pulls my entire career forward—and what made me, when I left the military, gravitate toward rare disease. Although the uniform changed, the mission did not.

What made you choose Alexion specifically?

There were really three things: the people, the products and the promise.

From a people perspective, we have incredible people here. It's not just that they're talented — it's that they have incredible character. From the very beginning, I knew these were people who were mission-driven and who genuinely cared about the people we were trying to help.

From a product perspective,I was drawn to the potential for our therapies to make a meaningful difference for appropriate patients. Rather than focusing only on clinical measures, our work is grounded in helping address the real-world impact of serious conditions such as gMG and NMOSD.

And the last piece is the promise. Not just the promise Alexion makes to go where others won't, but also the promise embedded in the pipeline for diseases that have yet to find an answer.

Alexion is part of AstraZeneca but has its own identity. How would you describe the culture?

Being part of AstraZeneca allows Alexion to have the scale of a major pharmaceutical company but the heartbeat of a biotech. When you walk into a meeting room here, it doesn't feel like you're part of a 97,000-person organization. It feels like you're part of a small team making decisions that have direct impact on patients' lives, because they do.

Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, is committed to building teams that reflect the diversity of experience, perspective, and purpose that our patients deserve. We actively recruit veterans across commercial, operations, strategy, market access and leadership roles. To explore current opportunities, visit our careers page.