MARCH 14, 2023
CARY, N.C. – Global biopharmaceutical services leader, Allucent, announced today the appointment of Alexander J. MacDonald, Ph.D., M.Sc. as vice president of model-informed drug development (MIDD). In this important role, Dr. MacDonald will oversee the development and delivery of quantitative pharmacology using model-based solutions for Allucent’s partners in order to inform strategic decision-making and maximize the probability of success at each stage of clinical development.
MIDD leverages data from diverse sources to provide important insights on dose regimen, product safety and effectiveness in various clinical populations, and is used to design efficient and informative clinical trials offering the benefit of more streamlined drug development program. Regulatory authorities have both acknowledged that modeling and simulation is an essential component across all drug development programs. It is an important approach for small and mid-sized biotech companies, many of which are pursuing novel drug candidates and modalities in rare or difficult to treat patient populations where the need is great and efficient and effective development programs are essential. MIDD is useful at any stage of development but is particularly beneficial when it is integrated early and continuously to help guide development objectives and to make critical decisions.
“Alex brings deep expertise in MIDD, clinical pharmacology, and drug development that will help our partners make knowledgeable decisions, improve efficiencies, and increase success rates across drug development – ultimately resulting in optimal recommendations for use and more expedient delivery of treatments for the patients who need them,” said Katy Moore, president of clinical pharmacology modeling simulation at Allucent. “With this new role, we will be able to leverage Alex’s combined accumulated expertise in quantitative pharmacology, drug development, and visionary leadership that will bring tremendous value to our team and guide our partners.”
Highlights of MacDonald’s career to date include:
- Holding quantitative & clinical pharmacology positions with increasing responsibility at Novartis, Roche, GSK, and most recently, AstraZeneca, where he served as Executive Director and Global Head of Respiratory and Immunology Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics.
- Building deep expertise across various aspects of clinical pharmacology and MIDD including pharmacometrics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and exposure modeling/computational toxicology.
- Developing expertise and becoming well-published across multiple complex therapeutic areas with different modalities including respiratory and immunology, oncology, and metabolic diseases.
- Supporting numerous successful global regulatory filings, including most recently Nirsevimab for the prevention of severe respiratory syncytial virus infection, Tezepelumab for severe asthma, and Anifrolumab for systemic lupus erythematosus
“Many of my most rewarding professional experiences to date have involved collaborations with small and mid-sized biotech companies because I find the passion, level of innovation and pace of development found in these smaller companies both energizing and motivating,” said MacDonald. “Allucent’s focus on working with this sector of the life sciences industry, combined with their breadth of expertise and integrated offerings across all aspects of drug development is a key part what made this role so appealing. I’m looking forward to joining the highly-talented and results-driven team at Allucent, and honored to apply my expertise to help companies bring innovative new medicines to patients in need around the world.”
MacDonald received his Ph.D. in Quantitative Pharmacology and Toxicology and his M.Sc. in Control Systems from the University of Sheffield. He is a full member of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS), served for seven years on the Scientific Organizing Committee for PKUK, the leading annual PK, PK/PD and pharmacometrics conference in the United Kingdom, and was a visiting lecturer for four years at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where he contributed to undergraduate PK and Drug Interaction courses in Biopharmaceutical Sciences. MacDonald has published numerous scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and presented at many national and international symposia.
About Allucent
Allucent is on a mission to help bring new therapies to light by solving the distinct challenges of small and mid-sized biotech companies. The company is purpose-built through the convergence of leading providers to address this unmet need. Today, Allucent is a global provider of comprehensive drug development solutions, including consulting, clinical operations, biometrics and clinical pharmacology across a variety of therapeutic areas. With more than 30 years of experience in over 60 countries, Allucent’s individualized partnership approach provides experience-driven insights and expertise to assist its clients in successfully navigating the complexities of delivering novel treatments to patients. Visit Allucent.com for more information.