Unlike many of their co-workers, the three founders of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group had some choices when Pfizer closed its Ann Arbor campus in early 2007. The group of prized Pfizer employees decided to take the road less traveled.
"They asked us to move to Connecticut," says Sunny Chapel, vice president of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group. "The three of us decided to open up our own consulting businesses."
Chapel, Ken Kowalski and Matt Hutmacher are experts in conducting mathematical statistical modeling for quantitative drug development for the pharmaceutical industry. Put simply they can do the ultra-complex math needed to optimize costly clinical trails, saving big bucks.
Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group (A2PG for short) has found its services in high demand. So much so that is has been able to add one more person and an independent contractor in its first two years.
"We are currently fully booked," Chapel says. "The issue is the company wants to keep up the quality of service. There is a shortage of the people in the industry with the skills that we're looking for."
People with these skills are highly prized and heavily recruited by everyone from small start-ups like Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group to pharma giants like Pfizer. That means for Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group to grow it needs to depend on organic growth. It plans to hire people with the right, highly developed skill set as they come along.
Source: Sunny Chapel, vice president of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group
Writer: Jon Zemke
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