Ex-Pfizerites open consulting, software firm in Ann Arbor

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

The Pfizer story is becoming a bit cliché in Ann Arbor these days. Pfizer closes its Ann Arbor campus. Media declares calamity. People worry then go on with their lives, taking advantage of the opportunity that has been created.

That's the case with the six ex-Pfizer employees behind Integrated Nonclinical Development Solutions. They formally started the company a few months after Pfizer closed in May 2007.

"It's been something we had been talking about for several years," says Jim Herman, the company's president. "What really got us going was the announcement of the Pfizer closing."

Those six people are still with the company, but now they've added an independent contractor. Herman hopes to add a person or three this year as the company grows.

The company has basically two focuses. The consulting side that helps drug-development companies with issues like toxicology. The other half, however, helps create software for these drug-development companies. Its first product takes information from databases and creates graphs and tables for researchers.

The firm currently has serviced about two dozen clients, ranging from small pharma firms to major multinational pharmas. Herman hopes to add another 10-20 clients this year.

Source: Jim Herman, president of Integrated Nonclinical Development Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke