NEWS

UNC biotech spin-off names CEO

CHAPEL HILL – ADMETech, a technology platform-based drug discovery and development company founded by faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Pharmacy, has announced the appointment of Scott Neuville as the company’s president and chief executive officer.

Neuville, a veteran in the life sciences industry, is the former chairman and CEO of iBiomatics, a SAS company.

"Scott Neuville brings just the right mix of strong leadership qualities, proven management experience and entrepreneurial spirit to ADMETech. The company is poised to become a leader in bringing breakthrough technologies to the pharmaceutical industry," said co-founder Dr. Dhiren Thakker, Ferguson professor of pharmaceutical sciences.

Formed at UNC in 1999 by Dr. Kim Brouwer, professor; Dr. Ed LeCluyse, assistant professor; Dr. Gary Pollack, professor; and Thakker in collaboration with UNC’s Office of Technology Development, ADMETech develops technologies to screen and optimize potential drug molecules based on the founders’ research in the absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion (ADME) processes. ADMETech technologies have the potential to achieve dramatic improvements in the screening methods used to optimize drug candidates for ADME properties, ensuring greater success in clinical trials.

"ADMETech will offer the pharmaceutical industry the ability to test new compounds in a much more effective and efficient manner, thus saving millions of dollars in a development process that brings proven products to market," said Neuville.

Neuville will focus his efforts on gaining additional funding to fuel expansion of the organization and develop ADMETech’s current and prospective technologies and client base. The new president and CEO will direct the search for a chief scientific officer while additional staff members join the company.

"Carolina's Office of Technology Development has worked closely with the faculty founders to support the development of ADMETech. However, successful spin-off companies need strong management along with great science. Having a CEO with a proven track record of success within health-care technology is of tremendous benefit to ADMETech," said Mark Crowell, associate vice chancellor and director of UNC’s Office of Technology Development.

Neuville, 41, has more than 18 years of experience in the highly technical and competitive markets of health-care technology, including 15 years at the senior management level focusing on business growth, sales and marketing, and organizational leadership.

Prior to joining iBiomatics, Neuville spent seven years with STERIS Corp. in senior executive roles, including president of the Americas Healthcare Division. During his executive tenure, STERIS was recognized as the ninth-fastest growing publicly held company in the United States. Neuville sits on the board of directors for the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium, an organization consisting of life sciences and technology companies.

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ADMETech contact: Scott Neuville, (919) 754-8500

UNC School of Pharmacy contact: Dr. Dhiren Thakker, (919) 962-0092

UNC Office of Technology Development contact: Mark Crowell, (919) 966-3929