Gaurav Sharma Joins as Therapeutic Area Leader, Rare Disease and Oncology

MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Worldwide Clinical Trials, Inc., (Worldwide) an award-winning, full-service, midsize, global CRO, announced today that Gaurav Sharma, M.Pharm, PMP, C.Sci, FIBMS, MICR, has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Therapeutic Area Leader, Rare Disease and Oncology.

Rare disease and oncology trials often share the same challenges: vulnerable populations, a global focus with multiple trial sites, and an urgent need to adapt clinical trial designs to the complexities of conducting research in these populations. In this position, Sharma will leverage Worldwide’s established expertise in global rare disease and orphan indication clinical trial methodology and recruitment, as well as its renowned first-in-human, first-in-class and phase I and II clinical trial services, to help emerging and established biotech and pharmaceutical organizations meet the increasingly complex and specialized demands of modern oncology research.

“Gaurav’s education, clinical and research experiences place him in a select group of leaders that can complete complex early phase trials that are important to the development of new treatments for patients with cancer,” said Peter Benton, president and COO, Worldwide Clinical Trials. “He will play a pivotal role in taking the foundation we have built by successfully executing the most complex and challenging rare disease, orphan indication and early phase clinical trials to the next level. Now, biotech and emerging pharmaceutical organizations have the nimble, responsive, experienced team they need to overcome hurdles and conduct conclusive studies for even the most novel oncology therapies and advanced therapy medicinal products for orphan indications.”

With a career spanning more than 15 years, Sharma is a recognized global project management leader for development of numerous novel therapeutics targeting oncology, hematology and rare diseases. Prior to joining Worldwide, he last served as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Project Management at Premier Research and has held several senior roles of increasing responsibility with ICON plc, Takeda and PAREXEL.

Sharma earned a Master of Pharmacy (clinical pharmacology with specialization in clinical research) from JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research. He is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional, a Certified Director by World Council for Corporate Governance and a Chartered Scientist (C.Sci) by Science Council, UK.

“I’m honored to join Worldwide, an organization that is well positioned to transform biopharmaceutical development and commercialization for early phase oncology – where we are seeing a paradigm shift with promising new strategies to treat cancer,” said Sharma. “The highly qualified, motivated team here has built its reputation on all the hallmarks of outstanding science and operations – flexibility, entrepreneurial drive, unparalleled expertise in complex and novel study designs, targeted therapies, cohort management, and niche patient population recruitment – to stake its claim as the world’s best midsized CRO.”

Worldwide is well versed in implementing first-in-human, combined phase I/II, global pivotal registration, specialty regulatory designation (“breakthrough therapy,” “fast track,” “accelerated approval”) and adaptive trial methodology. This announcement marks the latest in a series of recent investments Worldwide has made to expand the scale, expertise and optimized technologies needed to support the latest wave of innovation in oncology clinical research. In March, Worldwide announced a strategic alliance with Deep Lens, an AI-driven digital pathology company, to accelerate recruitment and development timelines for oncology trials.

For more information on Gaurav Sharma and the expansion of the oncology and rare disease therapeutic areas at Worldwide Clinical Trials, visit www.worldwide.com.

About Worldwide Clinical Trials

Worldwide Clinical Trials employs more than 1,600 professionals around the world, with offices in North and South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Russia, and Asia. Founded by physicians committed to advancing medical science, Worldwide is out to change how the world experiences CROs – in the best possible way. From early phase and bioanalytical sciences through late phase, post-approval and real-world evidence, we provide world-class, full-service drug development services.

With infrastructure and talent spanning 60 countries, we execute predictable, successful studies with operational excellence across a range of therapeutic areas, including central nervous system, cardiovascular, metabolic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMID), oncology and rare diseases. We never compromise on science or safety. We’re never satisfied with the status quo. We’re the Cure for the Common CRO.

For more information, visit http://www.worldwide.com.

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