Summary
In this episode of Driving the Business of Science, Keith Parent, CEO of Court Square Group, discusses the complexities of the life science industry and introduces Chris Matheus from the Global Life Science Alliance (GLSA). Chris, with 30 years in clinical research, co-founded GLSA to connect smaller companies with business development opportunities and experts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of collaboration and networking, highlighting GLSA’s role in facilitating connections for regulatory consulting, pre-clinical, and clinical trial management, and innovative solutions such as AI. Chris and Keith also talk about “Friends of Chris Matheus” (FOCM), a networking club he founded to foster industry connections. The conversation underscores the need for efficient, cost-effective solutions to support drug development and innovation.
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Guest Biographies
Chris Matheus
Chris Matheus is co-founder of Global Life Sciences Alliance (GLSA), bringing over 30 years of extensive experience in strategic business development and life sciences collaborations. He focuses on connecting biotech and pharma organizations with the right partners, resources, and fractional experts to accelerate innovation and growth. Over the course of his career, Chris has held senior business development roles with prominent CROs and technology providers where he managed sponsor partnerships and increased sales. His passion lies in making meaningful connections, helping innovators find the support they need to accelerate product and service adoption. He is driven by the belief that strong relationships and shared expertise are the foundation for advancing new therapeutic interventions.
Denise McNerney
Denise McNerney is a co-founder of Global Life Sciences Alliance (GLSA), bringing 30 years of expertise in life sciences and healthcare combining strategic leadership with hands-on operational experience, supporting pharma & biotech companies, research organizations, and partners to achieve their goals efficiently. Denise is passionate about helping patients, global collaboration, and advancing healthcare innovation. Outside of her professional work, Denise pursues sustainable, healthy living demonstrating her commitment to purposeful and impact-driven initiatives.
Introduction to Court Square Group and the Driving the Business of Science Podcast
- Keith Parent introduces himself as the CEO of Court Square Group, a managed service firm for life science companies.
- Court Square Group offers the Audit Ready Compliant Cloud (ARCC), which hosts applications from pre-clinical to manufacturing.
- The company also has RegDocs365™, a content repository with various modules, including Life Science LaunchPAD, ETMF EDM, and a new pharmacovigilance module.
- Keith explains the purpose of the podcast: to show the various aspects of the life science world that people might not think about, including business aspects and collaboration.
Introduction to Chris Matheus and Global Life Science Alliance (GLSA)
- Keith introduces Chris Matheus, co-founder of the Global Life Science Alliance (GLSA), and asks him to share his background.
- Chris Matheus shares his 30-year experience in the clinical research industry, focusing on business development and e-clinical technology.
- Chris emphasizes the importance of networking and connecting people in the industry, which led to the creation of GLSA.
- GLSA aims to connect people and companies to solve problems in drug development, leveraging Chris’s extensive network and experience.
Challenges and Evolution of GLSA
- Chris discusses the small size of the clinical research industry, often described as having two degrees of separation.
- GLSA started by connecting smaller companies without business development people to opportunities based on their relationships.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, GLSA had to adapt to the market’s needs, adding more services and tools to help companies in their network.
- The goal is to speed up drug development and prevent companies from burning through their money before proving the efficacy of their drugs.
Importance of Networking and Collaboration
- Keith and Chris discuss the importance of networking and collaboration in the clinical research industry.
- Keith shares his experience with a local breakfast club in Boston, where service providers meet monthly to discuss trends and challenges.
- Chris highlights the need for collaboration in the clinical supply segment, where common problems can be solved more effectively by sharing solutions.
- Keith mentions his current project with a company building a large facility with minus 20 degrees and minus 80 degrees storage, emphasizing the need for collaboration in logistics and supply chain management.
GLSA’s Role in Facilitating Collaboration
- Chris explains how GLSA facilitates collaboration by connecting people with specific needs to experts in the network.
- Examples include finding a physician for a medical monitor role, a regulatory consultant for a Canada filing, and a development plan expert for a European molecule.
- GLSA also connects companies with innovative solutions, such as using AI to scrub medical records for patient recruitment.
- The goal is to provide small companies with efficient, white-glove services without the overhead of full-time employees.
Chris Matheus’ “Friends of Chris Matheus” (FOCM)
- Chris shares the story behind “Friends of Chris Matheus” (FOCM), which started as a joke but grew into a networking club.
- FOCM organizes networking events during business travel, bringing together people from Chris’s extensive network.
- The events are designed to foster collaboration and problem-solving, with a focus on sharing experiences and challenges.
- Chris emphasizes the importance of networking and building relationships in the clinical research industry.
Supporting Innovation and Overcoming Industry Challenges
- Chris discusses how GLSA supports innovation by connecting innovative companies with experts and consultants.
- GLSA helps companies implement innovative solutions, such as using AI for patient recruitment and trial management.
- Chris shares an example of a QA expert who is passionate about AI and is working with the FDA to integrate AI into clinical trials.
- Keith and Chris agree on the need for common sense and practical experience in the industry, especially when dealing with new technologies like AI.
Future Vision for GLSA
- Chris outlines the future vision for GLSA, which includes expanding the network and adding more experts and consultants.
- GLSA aims to provide fractional services to small companies, helping them with specific needs without the overhead of full-time employees.
- The network will continue to grow, with more companies and experts joining to share knowledge and resources.
- Keith and Chris discuss the importance of connecting companies with reliable service providers and fostering long-term relationships.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
- Keith thanks Chris for sharing his insights and background on GLSA and FOCM.
- They discuss the importance of networking and collaboration in the clinical research industry.
- Keith expresses his appreciation for the work GLSA is doing to support small companies and facilitate innovation.