Interview with Christoph Wachter, Head of Clinical Operations for our full-service CRO since 2020
Christoph Wachter has been Head of Clinical Operations and Clinical Project Manager at ExperTrials since September 2020. A dedicated professional with a long-standing experience in the pharmaceutical industry, he has known Aurélie Weiss-Guimet, our CEO and Founder, for about 10 years. Theirs is a fruitful and respectful professional partnership that benefits ExperTrials’ clients and their clinical trials. We interviewed Christoph to learn more about his professional career and personal contribution to ExperTrials’ team.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us more about your work experience?
I’m a 56-year-old Austrian citizen, based in Vienna, Austria. I have a PhD in Biochemistry and 30 years of professional experience. I first did experimental research during my studies at the Sandoz Research Institute, the Pharmacological Institute in Vienna, and the Panum Institute in Copenhagen. I then entered the CRO world in 1997 working for ZAK-Pharma. I became familiar with Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Trials, which I coordinated in both Austria and throughout the European Union.
Have you always worked in a CRO environment since you first started your career?
Pretty much so, except for a few years! During my first years as a young professional, I built my knowledge and experience of Regulatory and Legal Affairs in different companies (Roche Austria, Torrex-Chiesi Pharma, Merck/Arcana Arzneimittel). I then became the Director of Research and Development and part of the executive board at AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals. I headed the departments of Clinical and Scientific Affairs (including Pharmacovigilance), Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, and Pharmaceutical Development. I worked on various R&D projects in (haemato-)oncology, pulmonology, neurology, and cardiovascular diseases, ranging from preclinical to clinical phase III. Needless to say it was a rewarding and enriching experience!
I met Aurélie Weiss-Guimet in 2013: she acted as the French partner for Denothex.
You also have experience as a business owner, don’t you?
Indeed I do! During a few years, I developed a business in LED-based lighting systems alongside my pharmaceutical industry job. More to the point, I joined a friend who started his own CRO back in 2013 – Denothex GmbH. I was Vice-President of Clinical Operations. We managed clinical trials of all phases across Europe and Israel, with a particular focus on biotechnology and medical devices in oncology. In 2019 Denothex was sold to Optimapharm where I became International Clinical Project Manager.
I also co-founded alcus med GmbH in 2017, of which I am the general manager. The company is dedicated to the development and marketing of foods for special medical purposes. Two products are available on the Austrian market to date: CoCurmin® Colo and CoCurmin® Tenera.
I have developed a special expertise in the 30 years I have spent in the pharmaceutical industry.
What is it that makes you and Aurélie such a good team working together?
Aurélie and I have great respect for each other. I admire how good she is at doing business and how bold, too! She has developed great connections within both France and Europe. I for my part have held several positions within pharmaceutical companies, including dealing with Regulatory Affairs, which requires a swift mind and an ability to adapt. On a more human side, I like building a team, which I have experience in, and dealing with clients. Finally, as a business owner, I have a sense of what is needed to keep a company alive and growing. I love to work with Aurélie, Pierre-Marie, and Ophélie, and greatly appreciate the team we have built and how dedicated we are to our clients.