ABG met Joel RICHARD, head of technical and pharmaceutical operations at Medincell, and had a conversation about the relationship between PhDs and companies. They brushed up on several topics : their place in a company, their skills, companies expectations, collaboration with academic labs, and of course... advice !
Dr Joël Richard has graduated from Ecole Normale Supérieure (Cachan, France) and has then got his PhD in Materials Science/Colloids & Interface Science from University of Paris VI, and “Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches” in Chemistry from University of Bordeaux I. He has more than 25 years of experience in chemistry and biopharmaceutical R&D, including several global senior leadership positions in various Biotech and Pharma companies, such as Ipsen, Merck Serono, Serono and Ethypharm. He also had an entrepreneurial experience, co-funding Mainelab (France), a drug delivery company specialized in developing solvent-free processes for protein delivery systems.
Dr Richard has focused his research activity on new formulations and drug delivery systems (such as microspheres, nano-particles, chemically-modified proteins, supercritical fluid technology...), especially for injectable protein and peptide formulations. Dr Richard has published 68 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 8 book chapters and 2 editorials in various fields (colloids and interfaces, drug delivery, supercritical fluids, protein formulations, sustained-release formulations…). He is the author of more than 120 international communications and 53 patent families.
MedinCell is a pharmaceutical company that develops a portfolio of long-acting injectable products in different therapeutic areas, combining its proprietary BEPO® technology with active substances already known and marketed. The company currently (as of has a portfolio of four products in development and five products in the formulation research phase. Its most advanced products - one for the treatment of schizophrenia and the other for the treatment of post-operative pain and inflammation - are currently in phase 3 and phase 2 clinical trials in the United States, respectively.
Interview by Ouissame Benfaida (communication) and Bérénice Kimpe (International)