The Drug Development Institute (DDI) at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) has a new leader. Jeffrey Patrick, PharmD, took over as director effective Feb. 13, 2017, bringing nearly two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry to make an impact at Ohio State.
Created by the OSUCCC – James with the help of seven Ohio State colleges and the university’s Technology Commercialization Office, the DDI helps accelerate cancer drug development through strategic partnerships within the global pharmaceutical and research/development industries. DDI has catalogued 30 novel anticancer agents developed at Ohio State and is working to advance the most promising agents toward phase I human testing by seeking investigational new drug applications by 2020.
Nearly six months after taking the helm of the DDI, Patrick cites being involved at the forefront of cancer treatment exploration as the most exciting part of the job — including working with basic and clinical scientists and the internationally renowned experts at the OSUCCC – James who serve as advisers.
The DDI in turn benefits from Patrick’s deep experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently he served as chief science officer at New Haven Pharmaceuticals in Connecticut, where he led development and implementation of scientific strategy for company products as well as design and implementation of preclinical and clinical trials. His previous experience includes stints as global vice president of professional affairs at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Inc., director of medical science liaisons at Dyax Corp., field director for medical sciences at Myogen/Gilead Science and more.
Prior to pursuing a career in research and development, Patrick was an ambulatory care clinical pharmacist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, where he earned his doctorate in pharmacy. He also completed the Wharton School of Business Pharmaceutical Executive Program.
Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, director of the OSUCCC and CEO of The James, looks forward to the momentum Patrick’s leadership will create. “Over the past five years, we have quietly built a pipeline for advancing early stage research to ensure the most promising new cancer therapy approaches do not languish in university laboratories. Dr. Patrick brings deep knowledge and experience from the pharmaceutical industry that will help take our cancer program’s drug development efforts to the next level and ultimately create new therapeutics for cancer patients.”
There is no time like the present to advance this work, says Patrick. “We know, now more than ever, that there truly is no routine cancer. This is due to increasing awareness of the numerous abnormalities in the genetics of the cells in all of the different types of cancers compared to genes of normal cells. With this detailed knowledge, researchers can try to target those cancer cell abnormalities in a way that eliminates them from the body.”
A multidisciplinary search committee and interview teams representing faculty and staff from the colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Arts and Sciences, as well as the Technology Commercialization Office and the OSUCCC – James, selected Patrick for the job. His enthusiasm is evident. “Between the experience of working with a great team and a tremendously rewarding environment comprising innovators and experts, I have enjoyed leading the DDI in my first months here.”