Recent Industry Personnel Changes

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) has elected new officers to its board. ACRO elected PharmaNet Development Group’s chief executive officer Jeffery McMullen to head the group as its chairman. David Spaight, president of MDS Pharma Services will assist in that role as chair-elect. McMullen replaces Candace Kendle, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kendle International.

The Sarah Cannon Research Institute, a clinical research network based in Nashville Tenn. has appointed Dr. Gregg Fromell and Jonathan Perlin as new members to its board of governors. Fromell is the executive director of the Office of Human Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Perlin is the chief medical officer and senior vice president of quality for Hospitals Corporation of America (HCA).

PharmaNet Development Group appointed Jean-Marie Houle, Ph.D. as vice president of clinical operations for the company’s Canadian subsidiary, Anapharm. The division performs bioequivalence and early-stage trials. Just last week PharmaNet replaced Anapharm founder and chief executive officer Mark LeBel with Johane Boucher Champagne, the company’s chief operating officer.

Kendle named Martha R. Feller, Ph.D., to senior vice president of the company’s global clinical trial development. Feller will oversee Kendle’s phase II/III trial operations in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa. Prior to the promotion, she led the company’s clinical development operations in North America. Before joining Kendle in 2004, Feller held positions at Proctor and Gamble Pharmaceuticals and has worked in the CRO and pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years.