AAIPharma Expands Phase I Capacity

AAIPharma Inc. has opened a new Phase I clinic in the Research Triangle Park area, NC. Located in Morrisville, NC, the state-of-the-art facility will increase the company’s Phase I capacity in the U.S. to 144 beds. The focus of this clinic will continue to be the conduct of bio-equivalence trials in support of customers’ ANDA programs. It will also provide the company with the infrastructure to strengthen and expand its clinical pharmacology operation in support of NDA programs.

AAIPharma has appointed two new executives to lead and expand the company’s clinical operations worldwide. Dr. George Perentesis has joined the company to head up AAIPharma’s North American Clinical Operations and Dr. Brian O’Keeffe will head up its European Clinical Operations.

Dr. Perentesis has more than 20 years of clinical development experience in the pharmaceutical and contract research industry. His history includes positions at Schering Plough, Novo Nordisk, and PRA International. Most recently, Dr. Perentesis was vice president of R&D at Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Inc., in Bethesda MD.

Dr. O’Keeffe has worked in R&D at a global level for more than 20 years. Most recently, he worked with the government contracting organization Abt Associates where he participated in program management for several projects involving the FDA, AHRQ, DAIDS and other health and human services agencies. Prior to that, he served as president of Quintiles Asia Pacific, and as medical director for Bayer in the UK and Singapore.