Zeist, 1-30-2020 – Julius Clinical, the science CRO, has appoints Erik van Zandbergen as its Chief Commercial Officer, to support the further growth of the company.

Erik joined Julius at the start of 2019 with a remit to align the companies’ commercial efforts with its three therapeutic focus areas: Brain, Infectious Diseases and CardioMetabolic diseases. With his appointment as Chief Commercial Officer, Erik will focus on guiding and driving the growth of Julius Clinical going forward. He will also continue to head Julius Clinical’s newest offshoot, ENT Clinical.

Holding a PharmD from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, Erik has nearly 20 years’ experience in supporting pharma and biotech drug development at large and small CROs. He also has wide experience in project management, business development and general management. This includes having been the management team member for the clinical pharmacology units at PRA Health Sciences and serving as VP of Clinical Research at NIZO Food Research.

Of Julius Clinical, Erik says: “The entrepreneurial spirit of the company is what drew me to Julius Clinical. I have found it to be a flexible, fast-to-adapt organisation that is quick to see opportunities within unmet needs. ENT Clinical is an example of that. Julius Clinical also differs from other CROs because of its academic roots. The fact we work closely with scientists with an academic affiliation gives us easy access to the required scientific expertise and investigators worldwide.”

Looking to the future, Erik wants to help Julius Clinical grow further by focusing on the company’s strengths in specific therapeutic niches such as RSV, NASH, ALS, AD and ENT. “These are areas in which we add true scientific and operational value,” he says.

Moreover, the company will continue and expand its focus on Real-world evidence. “The use of clinical data and patient reported outcomes, including the use of smart applications and other digital media, limits the burden placed on patients during trials. But turning Real-world data into evidence involves a thorough understanding of the methodology and the data science required. Our methodological expertise ensures the correct design choices are made at the outset, delivering the required information.