This month’s news on new hires, board launches, acquisitions, and other important news includes items on Pfizer, Javara, Clinical Ink, and other companies.
This month’s news on new hires, board launches, acquisitions, and other important news includes items on Pfizer, Javara, Clinical Ink, Bayer AG, ConcertAI and other companies.
The pharmaceutical firm has named Aamir Malik to its leadership team as executive vice president and chief business innovation officer. He succeeds John Young, who recently announced his retirement after 34 years with the firm.
Albert Bourla, CEO and chairman of Pfizer, said, “Aamir brings with him 25 years of experience developing innovative growth strategies, guiding mergers and acquisitions, and implementing high-impact programs to improve patients' lives and transform performance for life science companies. He is the ideal leader to drive these efforts.”
The clinical trial tech firm has appointed three people to new positions, reportedly created to help the company manage demand for its eCOA, ePRO+, DDC, and eConsent platform.
The three new hires are:
- Chris Crucitti, chief commercial officer, a life sciences and clinical services/technology executive with more than 20 years of experience
- Brian Donahue, chief operating officer, who held a number of leadership roles at GE before joining Clinical Ink
- Bill Barrasso, vice president of project operations, who comes to the company from Paraxel
The integrated research organization has named Michael Clay as its first chief operations officer. With more than a quarter century of industry experience, Clay is responsible for advancing the company’s mission of expanding clinical trial access to patients by propelling operational delivery and scaling the team to serve a growing network of healthcare partners.
Jennifer Byrne, Javara CEO, said, “We are delighted to add another seasoned expert to our leadership team. Michael’s expertise spans the ecosystem of clinical development, from site management to biopharma and Clinical Research Organizations, and his wealth of experience and leadership skills will be an invaluable asset as we further our mission of delivering clinical research as a care option.”
The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has created the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Governance Board (SCGB). Slated to launch this month, the role of the board reportedly is to help facilitate and coordinate supply chain initiatives across the agency, and to offer strategic guidance on significant supply chain issues.
In a statement about the board’s creation, CDER director Patrizia Cavazzoni said, “While we remain vigilant in our response to the pandemic, it is clear that there is significant risk to the pharmaceutical supply chain from future emergencies, and consistent focus will be needed to ensure uninterrupted access to life-saving medicines.”
The specialized CDMO has appointed Alex Garner director of formulation and clinical trial manufacturing. In the position, Garner (who holds more than a decade of field experience) will be responsible for overseeing formulation and trial manufacturing functions for small- and large-molecule therapy clients.
“Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) strategy, process and formulation development, clinical trial batch manufacturing, and packing and documentation,” said CEO Mark Harvill. “His leadership, along with his extensive CMC and formulation knowledge, will help us expand this business segment to ensure Avomeen is positioned to provide comprehensive, full-service formulation and manufacturing support to clients in both small- and large-molecule development.”
The CDMO has expanded its oncology leadership roster with three new hires. The executives will focus on the growing areas of cell and gene therapy, and immuno-oncology.
The new hires include:
- Slawomir Wojtowicz-Praga, vice president and global head of medical affairs
- Ayesha A. Pandit, vice president of medical oncology strategy
- Ashley Herrick, executive director of oncology strategy
The artificial intelligence and real-world data specialist has named Catherine Richards to serve as chief data officer and senior vice president of RWD solutions and customer success. She will lead strategy and development for the company’s range of RWD solutions.
“Catherine is one of the most deeply experienced scientists and executives in the field of RWE for the life sciences industry,” said ConcertAI CEO Jeff Elton. “She is an expert in translating research questions into enabling RWD solutions and enterprise AI, moving agilely from theory to tangible, to accelerate high-confidence insights and bring real change for patients.”
The Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance has named the co-leaders of its Initiative 4B: Collaborate on regulatory Gaps. Johnathan Andrus (CBO of Clinical Ink) and Chantal Le Floch (head of global regulatory affairs for the EU in general medicines for Sanofi) will facilitate and create workshops, organizing the team, and overseeing activities.
“We have an opportunity to craft a regulatory blueprint and establish a DCT regulatory framework that will benefit patients for years to come,” Andrus said. “I am honored to contribute to the evolutionary framework of both DCT technology and the clinical trials industry as a whole.”
The data-centric CRO has named Piotr Karasiewicz to serve as head of machine learning and digital transformation. In the role, Karasiewicz will be responsible for leading process improvements and ensure efficient and high-quality data analysis.
David Underwood, Quanticate’s CEO and chairman, said, “In his new role, Piotr will catalyze innovation and introduce advanced technologies to help increase the quality and efficiency across Quanticate’s product portfolio of statistical programming, biostatistics, clinical data management and medical writing.”
The pharmaceutical and life-science solutions firm has purchased Vividion, a US-based biotech company. The purchased firm specializes in using various discovery technologies to unlock high-value, challenging targets with precision therapeutics, using its chemoproteomics platform.
Stefan Oelrich, member of Bayer AG’s board of management and president of its pharmaceuticals division, said, “Vividion’s technology is the most advanced in the industry, and it has demonstrated its ability to identify drug candidates that can target challenging proteins. Together with Bayer’s existing know-how, we will be able to develop first-in-class drug candidates, increasing the value of our pipeline.”
The AI-powered drug discovery firm has named Steven Galson as independent member of its board of directors. Recently retired from his executive position at Amgen, Galson also served as acting US Surgeon General of the from October 2007 to October 2009.
“Steven Galson is one of the world's most respected pharmaceutical industry executives and public health physicians who are dedicated to delivering effective drugs for the patients worldwide faster, cheaper, and safer,” said Alex Zhavoronkov, CEO and founder of Insilico Medicine. “He is also an expert in regulatory affairs and understands the importance of disruptive innovation at every research and development stage.”
