BioCentriq, Inc.—a New Jersey-based, cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO)—announced today that David Smith is the new Vice President of Development.
With 15+ years of experience in the field of regenerative medicine, David’s proven expertise and background in process development and engineering have led to a history of success in advancing cell therapy product manufacturing. His skills and experience include design of experiments, quality-by-design, R&D, data analysis, strong leadership, and cross-functional oversight, among many others. In his new role at BioCentriq, he will lead MS&T, Process Development, and Analytical Method Development.
“I look forward to joining BioCentriq as it continuously evolves into a powerhouse CDMO,” said David. “The combined expertise and dedication of the entire team is inspiring.”
As the former Vice President of Technical Operations at Ori Biotech, David led the execution of the technical strategy for Ori’s first innovative technology play in cell therapy manufacturing. He was charged with ensuring the approach remained relevant to industry needs as it matured, taking a multi-pronged approach to identify industry needs, align to viable solutions, build a cross-functional team, and support adoption.
“We’re excited to welcome David to BioCentriq,” said CEO Haro Hartounian, Ph.D. “His extensive experience, deep industry knowledge, and demonstrated success of leading operations and development initiatives will help us continue to address market and client demand.”
David’s other prior roles include serving as Director of Research and Development at Minaris Regenerative Medicine. David has his Ph.D. in Regenerative Medicine from Loughborough University, and he has sat on numerous committees, including chair of ARM’s Science and Technology committee, sitting on ARM’s Cell Therapy Advisory, ISCT Commercialization Committee, ISCT Product and Process Development Subcommittee, ISO Biotechnology Committee, ASME Biotechnology Advisory Panel, PDA Cell and Gene Therapy Committee, and more.
BioCentriq is a full-service, New Jersey-based CDMO for cell and gene therapy, focusing on all stages of process development and clinical manufacturing. It was purchased by GC of South Korea for $73M. With over 70 scientists, engineers, analysts, and manufacturing specialists, the company has established quality systems and the infrastructure required to support the release of autologous and allogeneic drug products. For more information, visit BioCentriq.com.
