PharmaQest was spun out of the University of South Australia’s Centre for Pharmaceutical Research in 2002, and is targeting unmet medical needs. The Company’s lead program is based on research conducted by Professors Allan Evans and Ross McKinnon.
The Company outsources a range of activities, including manufacturing, preclinical and clinical studies. PharmaQest has a commercial collaboration with Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals (USA), which provides access to experienced clinical, regulatory and commercial personnel, with a track record of successful international product registration. The Company has six staff members:
Ross is a founding Director of Starpharma Holdings Ltd, Plantic Technologies Ltd, and Origin Capital Ltd, and Chairman of Acrux Ltd, TPI Enterprises Ltd, Farm By Nature Pty Ltd, Diagnotech Pty Ltd, and Micronix Pty Ltd, Horizon Science Pty Ltd and Etech Group International Ltd.
He is also the Managing Director of TSL Group Pty Ltd, a specialised consultancy business for the life sciences sector, which has advised the Australian Government, Cooperative Research Centres, Institutes and Universities on the development and commercialisation of life sciences initiatives. Ross has experience with the development of pharmaceuticals from the laboratory phase through to product registration, and with international regulatory and commercialisation issues.
Richard is a former Company Secretary/CFO for Biota Holdings Ltd. He provides financial consulting services to a number of life science companies, and has extensive experience in the financial management of early stage companies, including capital raising, licensing, tax planning and government grant management.
Allan is Professor in Pharmaceutics and Pro Vice Chancellor, Division of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia. He has been a consultant to the national and international pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years, advising on developmental pharmaceutics, product evaluation, Phase I studies and regulatory issues, and managing wide ranging industry-sponsored drug development projects. Allan is a former President of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Sciences Association, and has strategic ties to European and North American pharmaceutical companies.
Ross is Professor in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, and founding Director of the Sansom Institute, at the University of South Australia. He has a pharmacy degree and a PhD in molecular pharmacology, is widely recognised in the cancer research field, and has received numerous academic and research awards.
His research experience spans chemical carcinogenesis, molecular toxicology, chemoprevention and pharmacogenetic issues related to cancer. Ross is a former President of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Sciences Association.
Kellie has more than 15 years experience in pharmaceutical development. She has previously worked for an Australian pharmaceutical company and an Australian contract research organisation in early stage drug development, including bio-analytical analyses and laboratory management, preclinical analyses and resource management, Phase I clinical study conduct, clinical research team management and business management.
Peter has conducted and supervised molecular/cell biology research in both academic and commercial settings, in Australia and the United States. He is a former coordinator of preclinical and early-Phase clinical development for biotechnology company BresaGen Ltd. Prior to joining PharmaQest, Peter was Clinical Project Manager at the CMAX Drug Studies Unit, based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.