Clinical Network Services (CNS), an Australian CRO offering integrated development services in the planning, implementation and delivery of Phase I and II trials, has appointed ex-Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) toxicologist, Dr Douglas Francis, as Senior Regulatory Toxicologist to the company’s BioDesk product development planning and regulatory affairs service.
In his new role, Dr Francis will be providing advice and assistance to international and Australian/New Zealand biotechnology companies in the areas of toxicology, pharmacology, and drug optimisation in support of the conduct of clinical trials and drug registration in key global markets.
Most recently, Dr Francis offered regulatory toxicology services to small to medium pharmaceutical and biotech clients in Australia, Europe and the US through his own consultancy, DF Pre-clinical Services. Before that, he was Vice President of Drug Development for Australian biotech, Phylogica, and from 1998–2006, Drug Development Manager at Pharmaxis where he managed many of the company’s pre-clinical programmes.
Dr Francis was a Senior Toxicologist at the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) from 1995–1997, and was part of a research team at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia from 1998–2001.
Mark Reid, Associate Director, BioDesk & Regulatory Affairs, said: ‘Dr Francis is arguably the most qualified senior toxicologist for drug development in Australia and has global regulatory toxicological experience in the key pharmaceutical markets of Europe and the US. We have been working with Doug for a number of years now on a consultancy basis and are looking forward to the merging of his consultancy operations with the BioDesk operation of CNS.’
