CRO

BioPharmaSpec makes technical hires from Sandoz, SGS

CRO BioPharmaSpec has taken on Dr. Richard Easton as its new technical director of structural analysis and Dr. Mark Millichip, also as technical director, but for physicochemical analysis.

The senior appointments follow “a period of significant growth” for BioPharmaSpec and “will allow clients to draw upon Dr Easton’s and Dr Millichip’s technical expertise and relevant experience when discussing their characterization requirements,” according to the co.

The Philadelphia-based CRO--which works on structural and physicochemical characterization of new drugs such as mAbs--back in March said it was expanding its business into the potentially lucrative Asian market as new business development teams begin work in India and the Asia-Pacific region .

Dr Easton was previously the principal scientist at SGS M-Scan, will have a “key operational role” in BioPharmaSpec laboratories in both the U.K. and the U.S.

“I am very excited to be joining BioPharmaSpec, a progressive and developing company with a firm foundation in the key aspects and techniques of analytical chemistry, that provide such vital information when determining glycoprotein structure”, said Dr Easton.

“I look forward to sharing my specific technical knowledge with clients to aid them in designing cost-effective and efficient characterization strategies that will accelerate the development of their products.”

Dr Millichip, previously head of GMP analytics at Novartis’ ($NVS) Sandoz generics and biosims unit, is set to boost the CRO’s in-house physicochemical capabilities.

“This is a fast-paced and exciting time for BioPharmaSpec, as we expand both our client base and service offering”, said Dr Millichip. “I look forward to becoming part of the team and using my recent experience of large pharma biosimilar development to provide clients with a clearer understanding of the types of analyses and documentation necessary to meet the stringent requirements of the European and U.S. regulators.”