COMPANY PROFILE
YOUR LEADING PARTNER IN VIRUS STUDIES
Viroclinics Biosciences is a leading diagnostic and clinical trial operation service company providing diagnostic and preclinical studies along with drug development for prevention and treatment of virus infections.
Our mission is to improve human and animal health by serving the biopharmaceutical industry with state-of-the-art diagnostics, operational and logistical services, custom-made models in preclinical and clinical drug testing, and expert advice on development of antivirals and vaccines. We offer a full range of virology services for new drug development programs and post-marketing surveillance of existing drugs and vaccines, ranging from traditional virology assays to the latest deep sequencing protocols for a very broad range of viruses. Our BSL2 and BSL3 labs enable us to perform analysis according to international ISO 15189 accreditation and GLP expanded with elements of GCP.
HIGH QUALITY VIROLOGY CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATION
Viroclinics Biosciences operates at a global level, being the preferred virology testing laboratory for several of the top-10 Biopharmaceutical companies. As a virology contract research organization, we serve the biopharmaceutical community with our preclinical, clinical diagnostic, assay development and clinical trial logistics services. Our extensive experience with clinical and preclinical studies for viruses, including our specialty in respiratory viruses, puts us at the forefront for supporting the development of vaccines, antibodies and antiviral compounds targeting viral infectious diseases. Our staff consists of over 130 well-trained, dedicated scientists and technical experts, and our projects are supported by an extensive network of key opinion leaders as consultants. Through collaboration with the Erasmus MC Viroscience Lab, we offer combined benefits of scientific knowledge and technical ability maintained at both laboratories. This enables Viroclinics Biosciences to support customers with the best virological knowledge available. Our uniquely consultative approach to business means we nurture deep client relationships in order to fully understand their needs and provide optimally customized research programs and project solutions.
BSL2 AND BSL3 FACILITIES AND HIGH QUALITY
Viroclinics Biosciences is a cutting edge lab service organization with state of the art facilities including laboratory BSL 2 and BSL 3 facilities and a samples processing facility in New Jersey, USA. Viroclinics has adopted a high quality standard in all operations, testing procedures and reporting. The quality management system is based on NEN-EN-ISO 15189, GLP and expanded with elements of GCP, to comply with regulatory requirements and facilitate regulatory submissions.
FAST GROWING COMPANY WITH DEDICATED SCIENTISTS AND CONSULTANTS
Viroclinics Biosciences was founded in 2001. It has since grown into a company exceeding 130 FTE of dedicated scientists and technical experts, and operates within a network of key opinion leaders and consultants.
In 2010 the ISO 15189 quality system was accredited. With the implementation of this quality system Viroclinics was able to generate high quality assay data in clinical studies that were used in registration filings for new vaccines and antiviral drugs by large and small pharmaceutical companies.
As of September 2012 the company migrated to the Rotterdam Science Tower, a new high tech science facility. At this new location the company occupies 4500 m2 office space and new laboratory facilities, accommodating BSL 2 and BSL 3 work.
MANAGEMENT
- Bob van Gemen, CEO
- Hans Bunschoten, COO, Deputy CEO
- Ab Osterhaus, CSO
- David van Hoytema, CFO
- Elina van Herwijnen, VP Quality Assurance and HRM
- Olaf de Jager, VP Legal
- Paul Zoeteweij, VP Business Development
BOB VAN GEMEN
CEO
Bob van Gemen has a PhD in molecular biology and spent 10 years at AKZO NOBEL in their diagnostic business unit Organon Teknika before moving on to Primagen Holding BV, a small biotech company based in Amsterdam where he was CEO for seven years. During his period at Primagen, new molecular diagnostic assays were developed and introduced in the market. In addition, a M&S organization was established with a subsidiary in the USA, Primagen Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia.
After a brief spell with his own consultancy company, Bob joined Philips in 2007 and started their Digital Pathology venture in the Philips Healthcare Incubator. The Philips Digital Pathology business introduced its first total solution for digitization of pathology in spring of 2011 and generated its first sales in that year.
Bob van Gemen has been CEO of Viroclinics Biosciences since November 1st, 2011.
HANS BUNSCHOTEN
COO, Deputy CEO
Hans Bunschoten joined Viroclinics Biosciences in 2008. Previous to this he held various positions within the pharmaceutical industry concerned with drug discovery and the transition of leads into drug candidates for human testing. As a consultant he advised several large pharmaceutical companies in distinct areas of drug development.
Hans was trained in immunology and virology at the National Institute of Public Health and University of Pennsylvania and obtained a PhD from the University of Utrecht. His pharmaceutical career began at Organon Biosciences where he headed multidisciplinary teams in vaccine and drug discovery research. Subsequently, he worked as a Director of Preclinical Development at a Dutch start-up company and as a management consultant to pharmaceutical companies. Hans has authored many publications and is inventor of numerous patents.
AB OSTERHAUS
CSO
Albert Osterhaus co-founded Viroclinics Biosciences BV and is its Chief Scientific Officer.
As professor of Virology in Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Hannover, Ab Osterhaus has a long track record as scientific researcher and PI of numerous major scientific projects. At Erasmus MC he has built the >40 persons virology diagnostic lab and the >100 persons viroscience research lab. His research programme followed a novel integrated “viroscience” concept, bringing together world leading scientists in molecular virology, immunology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and intervention studies on human and animal virus infections. After having handed over the chairmanship of the Erasmus MC Viroscience lab in 2014, he is currently establishing the new Research Centre for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (RIZ) at TiHo Hannover and The Artemis One Health Research Institute in Utrecht.
Major performances under Ab’s scientific leadership include the discovery of more than 50 new viruses of humans and animals or new hosts for known viruses (e.g. human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses, influenza viruses), the elucidation of the pathogenesis of major human and animal virus infections and the development of novel intervention strategies. These include strategies for AIDS, viral hepatitis, influenza, and other major respiratory infections. Discoveries of Osterhaus’ team have enabled health authorities to effectively combat outbreaks of diseases like SARS and H7N7/ H5N1 influenza. These include strategies for AIDS, viral hepatitis, influenza, and other major respiratory infections.
In the past five years, besides the acquisition of major multi-million research programmes from Dutch governmental organisations (e.g. NGI, NWO, FES, TI-Pharma, ministries) Osterhaus` team has successfully acquired numerous international and prestigious research grants from EU FP7 and ERC programmes, NIH, Bill and Melinda Gates and WHO.
While Ab continues to recruit talented researchers and attract national and international funding, he actively participates in experimental design and laboratory work, passing on his expertise to new generations of researchers. In addition, he shares his knowledge to the benefit of society through his advisory role to several national and international public health committees.
The spin-off, Viroclinics Biosciences BV, is among his societally relevant successes, allowing effective testing and refining of diagnostic and other intervention strategies.
Awards, prizes, guest lecture invitations, (co-)organiserships of international meetings and editorships of scientific journals further highlight his international recognition. He has acted as mentor for more than 60 PhD students, holds several key patents and is the author of more than 1100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, together cited more than 50,000 times, his H index is more than 90. Most of all, Ab Osterhaus firmly believes scientists have a role to play in translating their knowledge for the benefit and protection of society.
DAVID VAN HOYTEMA
CFO
David started his career in 1995 in investment banking in Amsterdam and London, in both the primary and secondary equity markets, where he participated in numerous deals and public offerings. He continued at TNT in several corporate financial roles, after which he started his first start-up company, in the ticketing business. David sold this company in 2008 and subsequently left in 2009. This was followed by several management and M&A advisory roles, and the start of another company in 2012, this time in the airline and logistics sector.
David joined Viroclinics in 2017, adding to the team through his broad financial and strategic expertise in both large and small companies, and helping with the further expansion of the company. He holds a Tax Law Masters degree from Leiden University.
ELINA VAN HERWIJNEN
Vice President Quality Assurance and HRM
Elina is employed at Viroclinics Biosciences since 2007. She started as Director Quality Assurance since 2012. In addition, Elina became Director HRM and member of the management team in Medio 2012. Elina studied food microbiology at the agricultural university of Wageningen in the Netherlands and started in 1987 as microbiologist at the largest dairy company in the Netherlands. Several functions are performed, all related with quality assurance.
The accreditation was achieved in 2010.
OLAF DE JAGER
Vice President Legal
Olaf joined Viroclinics Biosciences B.V. at the end of 2006. With a background as an attorney at law and as legal counsel with the Technology Transfer Office of the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Olaf has acquired extensive experience drafting, negotiating and managing contracts in the biotechnology sector. Olaf studied tax law at the University of Tilburg, the Netherlands, and graduated in 1998. He subsequently went on to obtain an LL.M in international law from the University of Minnesota, USA, after which he joined the Dutch law firm AKD in 2001 working in its intellectual property law section. Olaf completed his professional training as an attorney at law in 2004.
In 2004 Olaf moved to the Erasmus MC to work as legal counsel for its technology Transfer Office. In this position he assisted with the start ups of several spin-out companies of the Erasmus MC, including Viroclinics Biosciences B.V.
In 2006 Olaf left the Erasmus MC Technology Transfer Office and started as legal counsel for three Erasmus MC spin-outs, ViroNovative B.V. and Viroclinics Biosciences B.V.. In 2011 Olaf joined Viroclinics Biosciences B.V.’s management team fulltime as Director Legal.
PAUL ZOETEWEIJ
Vice President Business Development
Paul Zoeteweij has a PhD in Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences and spent 5 years post-doctoral at the US National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NCI) to specialize in immunology and virology. Subsequently he spent 7 years at Iomai Corporation, a small biotech company in the USA, as senior scientist in vaccine development. Paul joined Viroclinics in 2007 as Director Contracted Research, and soon after as Director Clinical Services. Since January 2015 he is VP Business Development.
