Cobra Biologics, an international CDMO for biologics and pharmaceuticals, today announced the appointment of Dr Darrell Sleep as Director of Innovation. The appointment is part of ongoing strategic expansion activities currently underway at Cobra’s Keele site, to increase capacity and capability for both the clinical and commercial in-market supply of viral vector and DNA products to Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) developers.
In his new role, Darrell will lead the site’s innovation team which has been newly formed from the integration of existing in-house R&D and Process Development expertise. The combined innovation team will deliver contract development activities to customers, in addition to driving scientific and technical innovation for new and existing service offerings. Darrell will work closely with Professor Daniel Smith, the Group’s Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), to streamline process workflows on the site and facilitate timely adoption of pioneering bioprocess solutions. The appointment supports the rapid process development approaches required by Cobra’s advanced therapies customers, essential for cost-effective clinical and commercial manufacturing.
Professor Daniel Smith, CSO Cobra Biologics, commented: "The integration of Cobra’s innovation team, headed by Darrell as Director of Innovation, is key to establishing our UK site as a world-leading facility for ATMP production. Darrell’s extensive industry knowledge and expertise will be an invaluable addition to the Keele site management team. I am personally looking forward to working closely with him to continue to drive Cobra’s strong innovation agenda and to further enhance our profile as a leading scientific organisation for the production of viral vectors and plasmid DNA."
