With rapid advancements in technologies alongside the ever-increasing need for drug development, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), have significantly influenced the landscape of biotech and pharma development. They are keeping up the pace to provide a cutting-edge science to facilitate the growing needs of the field.
Furthering this ever-increasing need to design developmental strategies, Bionical Emas provides services that cater to the client’s drug and pharma development needs. Being a global Contract Research Organization, what makes the company unique is that it combines clinical development, early access program, and clinical trial supply capabilities to deliver an exceptional, seamless service for its international pharma and biotech clients.
Their wide range of services enables them to maximize access and generate evidence at every point along the drug development pathway. This means they can simultaneously address the immediate and future needs of patients.
Standing as a guiding light to this innovative path is Jonathan Waring-Hughes, as its Chief Executive Officer.
An Exemplary Leadership
Jonathan took on the role of Bionical Emas, CEO in 2018 and is responsible for the overall running and performance of the business globally. Since joining the company in 2013, he has been an integral part and founding member of the organization. He is extremely passionate and driven by the company’s mission of pioneering the way life-changing medicines are developed and accessed for patients around the world.
He initially founded and headed up the Clinical Trial Supply (CTS) division in the UK before spending time in the US setting up Bionical Emas Inc. and offering services for the US market. He has played an essential role in creating and driving the global commercial and operational strategy which has seen the business grow from 15 people in 2013 to over 200 in 2022, with operations across the US, EU, UK, and Australasia.
Jonathan is a remarkably young CEO, proving that success in running a business doesn’t have a direct correlation with a specific profile or age group. His talent, passion, and aspiration to make a positive difference were recognised by the Board of Directors as the key attributes of a great leader. His successful tenure in the role is proof that innovative thinking in a business context, particularly at the People level, can pay-off. Jonathan manages Bionical Emas under the same approach, which results in a highly diverse and inclusive company, where career progression is a reality and women in senior leadership roles is the norm. Under his exemplary leadership, the company operates on fully integrated services. Let us have a look at them.
The Three Core Business Units
Bionical Emas operates as a fully integrated services business based around three core business units, which are made up of a wide range of product and service lines.
Clinical Development
The company runs global Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials for its international pharma and biotech clients and has an oncology and rare disease therapeutic focus. In addition, throughout the pandemic, it has also been heavily involved in the running of COVID-19 studies.
Bionical Emas implement traditional and decentralized clinical trial models, utilizing its global in-house teams of clinical development professionals and innovative technologies to pioneer the way medicines are developed for patients around the world.
Early Access Programs (EAP)
Bionical Emas EAP is the only specialist Early Access Program (EAP) partner to harness the full power of an established and successful Contract Research Organization. A range of in-house services perfectly complements its global EAP experience in oncology and rare disease areas.
The company puts the patient at the heart of everything it does. The goal of the company is to help current and future generations by providing timely and appropriate treatment access to patients in desperate need.
Clinical Trial Supply (CTS)
Bionical Emas provides unrivaled access to medicines and ancillaries for use in clinical trials. It offers customized end-to-end supply solutions for its international pharma and biotech customer base.
The global network of manufacturer partnerships enables the company to deliver sustainable and reliable access to medicines and ancillaries for clinical trial sponsors, healthcare professionals, and patients globally.
Delivering Excellent Services through its Driven Mission
The mission of Bionical Emas is to pioneer the way life-changing medicines are developed and accessed for patients around the world.
It is the people of Bionical Emas that truly differentiate them, and their focus on delivering excellence across their suite of services that leads to long-term partnerships with its broad base of clients, HCP’s, and patients.
Jonathan states, “we are bold, creative, and driven by the fact we are changing patients’ lives.”
Adoption of Modern technologies
According to Jonathan, “Modern technologies like blockchain, sensing technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) are having a huge impact on the way the sector is operating.” He believes that these technologies are helping to improve agility, quality, and patient adherence and fundamentally reducing the cost of running clinical studies but keeping data fully secure.
These technologies are also helping clinical trial activities to be shifted closer to the patient. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the sector to increase the adoption of these technologies significantly. The company has seen a huge movement toward hybrid clinical trials, putting the patient’s comfort first and meeting patients where they are.
Bionical Emas has made a significant investment in technologies, so it can meet the sponsor’s needs in running clinical studies. The company is using Machine Learning (ML) to review data captured from sites and identify any trends and/or anomalies to optimize the digital clinical trial pathway. Jonathan asserts, “We are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to speed up recruitment and feasibility process, minimizing manual and repetitive tasks and fundamentally improving patient adherence.”
He further states that using natural language processing to automatically identify adverse events improves the quality of service being provided to its sponsors. The company has partnered with some leading technology companies to help the company provide decentralized clinical trials, giving it tools like eCOA/ePRO and eConsent to bring these activities to patients.
A Note to Remember
When addressing the budding entrepreneurs who wish to progress in the CRO space, Jonathan asserts, “I would say that creating a truly differentiated offering is critical for anyone looking to venture into the space. The sector is awash with CROs of many shapes and sizes, so it is important to find a niche that enables you to differentiate against your competitors.
Over the coming years, I believe the focus will continue to be on further enhancing the patient experience through implementing innovative technologies and de-centralized/hybrid clinical trials.” This will ultimately lead to faster and more diverse patient recruitment.
Roadmap to the Future
When talking about scaling the company’s operations, Jonathan states, “Our strategy is to drive organic and acquisitive growth by developing and cross-selling our widening portfolio of services and capabilities into our international client base and by expanding our geographical footprint.”
Over the past few years, the company has made significant investments in the three core pillars of the business – people, infrastructure, and technology, which provide the company with a platform for operational and geographical expansion in 2022 and beyond. Jonathan believes that expanding its operations across the EU, US and JAPAC regions will be a major focus over 2022 and the coming years.
