Senior Management
The senior management of Cantab Biopharmaceuticals Ltd represent a group with significant experience and an impressive track record within the biopharmaceutical industry. Most of the team have worked closely together for over 10 years.
Dr Jim Mills, CEO (Cambridge)
PhD microbial biochemistry; BSc (Hons) biotechnology
16 years experience in the biotechnology industry
After studying a first degree in Biotechnology and a PhD in microbial physiology Jim joined the Process Development group of Cantab Pharmaceuticals in 1997. He was responsible for Upstream Process Development and GMP manufacturing of the companys protein products.
When Cantab merged with Xenova in 2001, Jim continued to work within Process Development at increasing levels of responsibility, becoming Leader for Upstream Process Development by the time Celtic Pharma acquired Xenova in 2005.
Following the acquisition by Celtic Jim took on an increasingly commercial role and was appointed Director of Operations for Xenova Biomanufacturing (Cambridge Biomanufacturing Ltd: CBL) in 2007. As Director of Operations, Jim was responsible for Process and Analytical Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Project Management and Business Development.
With the acquisition of the company by CP2 and it’s refocusing as Cantab Biopharmaceuticals Ltd to concentrate on the development of in-house products within the biosuperiors space, Jim will be driving this strategy, and the company, forward as CEO.
Dr Mike Dawson, Director, Anti-Infectives (Welwyn)
Mike studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge and has a PhD in microbial biochemistry (Leicester). Mike spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry with GlaxoSmithKline and legacy companies, where, in his role as Head of the Biotransformations and Natural Product Chemistry teams, he was a co-inventor of important series of natural products, such as the sordarins and squalestatins. He also led the development of biotransformation processes used in the manufacture of important drugs such as epivir, abacavir and zanamavir.
In 2003, Mike co-founded Novacta Biosystems Limited, a company developing new antibiotics for drug resistant bacterial infections and processes for the production of industrial chemicals. Mike remains a director of Novacta.
Fiona Hamilton, Leader of Analytical Development (Cambridge)
BSc Hons Biological Chemistry (First Class) and BTec (HNC) Chemistry.
16 years experience in analytical development in the biotechnology industry.
Since 1996, Fiona has been responsible for the development and validation of biochemical assays to ICH guidelines and for performing the assays in the QC release and stability testing of bulk and final biopharmaceutical products for toxicology and Phase I/II clinical trials at Cantab/Xenova. She is experienced in a range of analytical techniques including HPLC, electrophoresis, immunoassays, and protein characterisation assays. She is responsible for applying the principles of GXP to the analytical laboratory and for producing, reviewing and approving associated protocols, SOPs and reports.
Prior to joining Cantab/Xenova, Fiona was responsible for the characterisation of microparticulate formulations in drug delivery and diagnostic research projects at Andaris Ltd, and prior to that spent 2 years at Delta Biotechnology developing novel assays used in the process development and quality control of a recombinant albumin microcapsule product used as an ultrasound contrast agent.
Robert Titmus, Leader of Process Development (Cambridge)
BSc Applied Biology (First Class)
15 years experience in downstream process development in the biotechnology industry.
Rob has operated within the downstream development team at Cantab/Xenova since 1999, taking responsibility for the development of downstream processes for a number of clinical products. He is experienced in a broad range of purification technologies from column and membrane chromatography through to micro and ultra filtration techniques; including virus removal technologies, and also in transferring these through to successful manufacture. In addition to leading the downstream development team, Rob has, since 2001, managed the CMC activities for Xenova/Celtic’s two addiction vaccine programmes.
Rob previously worked within Bio Products Laboratory; the division of the NHS responsible for large scale plasma fractionation; where he developed processes for two monoclonal antibodies and took them through to successful manufacture.
Angela Parker, Project Manager (Cambridge)
Professional Certificate in Management
MSc Polymer Science & Engineering
BSc Biology and Chemistry
Angela is responsible for project management within Cantab including project planning, resource/cost tracking, facility planning and implementation of best practice project management tools.
Angela has over 10 years experience of project management within FMCG and medical device industries and so has vast experience of working with both fast-track projects and highly regulated processes.
Angela started her career as a scientist for Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics (latterly Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics) then worked as a scientist for Dow Corning. Angela spent 10-years with London International Group (latterly SSL International) in a number of technical and project management roles the most recent as an Innovations Project Manager working with internal customers to define their new product development requirements and establishing and managing suitable projects to realise these needs. Angela joined Cantab/Xenova in 2008.
Pamela Brown, Director, Medicinal Chemistry (Welwyn)
BSc Hons Chemistry, FRSC
Pam has over 30 years experience in anti-infective drug discovery, gained at GlaxoSmithKline and legacy companies Beecham and SmithKline Beecham. As Senior Team Leader at GSK, Pam led the UK chemistry team in a lead optimisation campaign towards identification of novel agents with activity against Gram Negative pathogens. She is also an experienced programme leader, having led multi-disciplinary teams in both hit to lead and lead optimisation phases of antibacterial drug discovery.
Pam has over 30 publications in patents and peer-reviewed journals spanning the design and synthesis of antibacterial agents in a variety of antibacterial classes, including pseudomonic acids, pleuromutilins, and bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors. After leaving GSK in 2008, Pam joined BioFocus, where she gained valuable experience in co-leading Client-focused integrated drug discovery projects. Pam joined Novacta in June 2011.
Dr Mary Vinson, Preclinical Programme Director (Welwyn)
DPhil Immunology
Mary has 15 years experience in drug discovery and development within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Mary's experience includes scientific and project management roles in large and small companies and she has lead and managed small molecule, monoclonal antibody, viral vector and semi-synthetic programmes for neurological and infectious disease indications.
After completing her DPhil at Oxford, Mary spent 9 years at GlaxoSmithKline as a biologist and programme leader in the Neurology department, working on therapies for Alzheimer's disease and stroke. She then worked for small biotech company, Proximagen, as Group Head of Project Management on a portfolio of programmes for CNS indications. Mary joined Novacta Biosystems in 2009 and has contributed project management, leadership and preclinical support to the progression of anti-bacterial projects from discovery through to Phase I.