Certara Biotech Forum: Workshop on Developing Investor-Ready Strategies

Vice President, Global Head of Research & Development, Mundipharma

Matthias Breugelmans is a seasoned R&D executive and entrepreneur with a career spanning leadership roles across the pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics, and digital health sectors. As VP and Global Head of Research & Development at Mundipharma, he leads a global team across Clinical Development & Operations, Data Science, Consumer Health, and R&D Strategy, driving innovation with the patient at heart.

Matthias is also a partner at SLS Capital, where he supports startups and academic spinouts in scaling breakthrough technologies through strategic investment and operational guidance. His entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding True Nature, leading Elastrin Therapeutics, a biotech company pioneering nanoparticle-based therapies for life-threatening diseases, and organizing DxPx, a global partnering conference for diagnostics and precision medicine.

With a track record of transforming R&D organizations, securing funding, and accelerating development timelines, Matthias offers a blend of scientific insight, operational excellence, and leadership. He is a frequent speaker on innovation strategy, translational science, and the future of healthcare.

Venture Building Lead
Catapult Medicines Discovery

Marc Daigneault is New Venture Lead at Medicines Discovery Catapult, specializing in life science innovation and funding strategy. He has secured over £100 million in public funding for high-impact R&D across Europe, catalyzing more than £900 million in private investment and corporate partnerships. With an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology, and deep expertise in infection and immunology, Marc combines scientific insight with commercial acumen to support ventures that translate cutting-edge research into scalable, investable opportunities.

Vice Chairman, ImaginAb Inc.

Ian Wilson received his PhD from Cambridge University and has over 30 years of experience in the commercial development of in vivo medical diagnostics and imaging medical devices. Ian is currently the Vice Chairman of ImaginAb Inc, an imaging and radiotherapy company developing next generation molecular imaging agents using the minibody technology. Before joining ImaginAb, Ian was the CEO and CTO of Edinburgh Molecular Imaging Ltd., leading the development of novel optical imaging agents to improve cancer detection, surgery, and lung disease.
In a previous position at Xstrahl Ltd., as CTO & COO, Ian was responsible for the oversight of Radiotherapy commercial operations and manufacturing, including new product development. Between 1996 and 2013, Ian held numerous roles at GE Healthcare including Portfolio and Strategy Manager and Head of Biology. While at GE Healthcare, Ian was responsible for the management of GE Healthcare’s Molecular Imaging Agent Portfolio, in Cardiovascular, Oncology & Neurology, and strategic as well as tactical oversight. Ian was also responsible for supporting the efficacy and regulatory studies required for the approval of new imaging agents.

Chief Executive Officer, Concr

Trained as a geneticist, Irina spent over 12 years as a cancer scientist, developing targeted breast and gastric cancer therapies and researching mechanisms of cancer resistance at the Royal College of Surgeons and the Institute of Cancer Research in London. Seeing a lack of translation of promising science, she turned to funding management and investing, helping other researchers with the development of their healthcare innovations, devolving over £120m+ of public and VC funds into innovation. This led her to Concr – a deeptech company that applies astrophysics computational models to solve translational challenges in cancer treatment and care. After holding several leadership roles, she succeeded founder-CEO in January 2024.

Senior Vice President, Global Head, Drug Development Science
Certara Drug Development Solutions

Dr. Fran Brown is a highly respected professional with proven leadership skills and 28 years of broad experience within pharmaceutical development and due diligence. She has extensive experience with strategic and operational global drug development from early discovery to filing and post-marketing. This experience spans multiple therapeutic areas, small molecules and biologics, global regulatory requirements and registration pathways. She possesses a broad knowledge of product development and portfolio management, with a special focus on development strategy, regulatory interactions and product filings.

Senior Director, Certara

Katie Williams, PhD is a Senior Director at Certara. She earned her PhD in applied mathematics and worked as a clinical pharmacology and DMPK modeler in big pharma before joining Applied BioMath (a Boston-based QSP consultancy start-up) as a QSP modeler in 2016. Katie modeled small molecules and biotherapeutics alike to inform key decisions across the R&D continuum for biopharma clients. Katie later transitioned to business development to help scale the company as a math modeling evangelist. Katie joined Certara in 2023 when they acquired Applied BioMath and now leads a scientific team that supports the growth of modeling & simulation software and consultancy.

Director, Early Development
Certara Drug Development Solutions

Arne van Schanke is Director, Early Development, Certara Drug Development Solutions. Dr. Van Schanke has two decades of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry at MSD and Certara. He obtained his PhD in veterinary medicine/toxicology from Utrecht University, Netherlands. He is a pragmatic biomedical scientist who evolved from biochemical interactions and cancer research into drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics expert and translational modeler working in a broad array of indications including Oncology, Virology, Fertility, Immunology, and Inflammation.

Senior Director, Toxicology
Certara Drug Development Solutions

Helen-Marie has 20+ years Regulatory nonclinical experience (IB/IND/CTA/MAA documentation and FDA/EMA/NCA meetings), Early and late-stage nonclinical program design and execution, carcinogenicity, impurity/excipient qualification, 3Rs, thought leader in advanced therapy modalities.

Vice President – Europe/APAC regional Quantitative Science Lead Vice President – Europe/APAC regional Quantitative Science Lead
Certara Drug Development Solutions

S.Y. Amy Cheung, PhD, is a Vice President at Certara, regional lead (EU and APAC) for Quantitative Science Services within Certara Drug Development Services, and Global Lead of the Pediatric and Maternal Health Center of Excellence/Innovation Engines. Dr. Cheung has more than 20 years of experience in modeling and simulation, as well as clinical pharmacology, with expertise in PBPK/PD mechanistic modelling, special populations (e.g., pediatrics, maternal, and geriatrics), extrapolation, model-based meta-analysis, vaccines, infections, HIV, complex biologics, and different therapeutic areas across early to late-phase drug development.

Vice President, Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Medicine
Certara Drug Development Solutions

A pharmacist by training, William has a MSc in Toxicology and a PhD in Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism. He has 25 years of experience in Pharmaceutical companies and PK/Tox laboratories. Before joining Certara, William worked for pharmaceutical companies, headed up the Clinical PK/PD and Pharmacometrics department of a global CRO and was Senior PK assessor at the MHRA where he provided PK and PD assessments, interacting with non-clinical, pharmaceutical, medical assessors and with Company staff using appropriate CHMP and ICH guidelines. As a Member of the Modelling and Simulation Working Group to provide support to the European Medicines Agency’s scientific committees and working parties on modelling and simulation and more general methodological
discussions and qualification procedures regarding modelling and simulation, he advised pharmaceutical companies on good clinical pharmacology trial design, adequacy of data, appropriate analyses and other pharmacokinetic issues relating to license applications, at company meetings.

Vice President, Regulatory Strategy
Certara Drug Development Solutions

Geoff is the Vice President, Regulatory Strategy, Certara, responsible for providing strategic regulatory oversight to product development and commercialization. He brings 20+ years of expertise and a demonstrated record of regulatory and business accomplishments covering the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific where he has served as a subject matter expert (SME) Reviewer and Commentator on New and Advanced Technologies for various agencies and continues to do so today. His experience spans national regulatory bodies world-wide, including the FDA in the US, as well as agencies in China and Japan. His team advises both big pharma teams and biotech startups as well as governmental entities, providing them expertise to help navigate regulatory challenges-whether current or anticipated-while providing a global regulatory perspective to guide the best path forward.

Vice President, Evidence & Access Strategy
Certara Drug Development Solutions

Max brings both scientific training and experience in healthcare product development that are important for evidence-based value and access strategies for pipeline and marketed products. Leading a team of analysts and focusing on projects involving late stage, launch, and due diligence efforts, Max’ experience cuts across all major therapeutic areas and care settings with special emphasis on CV / metabolic, oncology, gene therapies, ophthalmology, GI, and dermatology. Max and team have designed successful pricing and contracting strategies for products at launch and throughout the life cycle. He also leads projects focusing on managed markets communications strategies.