CEO Today Europe Awards

63 www.ceotodaymagazine.com CEO Today Europe Awards 2018 THE netherlands T: +31 23 556 3220 | E: roger.legtenberg@psr-group.com | W: www.orphandrugexperts.com Q Q Q underlined by winning several industry awards. Furthermore, we have introduced a patient organisation advisory board, as part of our belief that patients should fulfil a more prominent role in orphan drug development. Why are diagnosis and treatments for rare diseases so important? Approximately 1 out of 17 people in Europe suffer from a rare disease, which equals 30 million Europeans. This means that rare diseases are by no means rare from a societal perspective. The problem is that currently only about 140 orphan drugs have been approved by the European Medicines Agency, while there are over 7000 rare diseases currently known. Therefore, most people suffering from a rare disease currently do not have access to effective treatment options. Furthermore, it typically takes up to 5 years before a patient with a rare disease is properly diagnosed, meaning it is of crucial importance to improve and accelerate diagnosis for rare diseases, as well as drastically increase innovative treatment development. What challenges do you face in your role and what steps do you take to overcome them? As a CEO, you are often faced with situations in which you feel uncertain about what could be the best path forward for ensuring the success of your company. My personal strategy is to never give into those fears and make decisions which are best for the company’s culture and beliefs. If you decide on a certain path forward, go for it, wholeheartedly! What future do you envision for PSR in the coming year? As part of the Ergomed Group, we can benefit and make use of their worldwide geographical coverage and their unique site & physician support models to significantly grow PSR’s service portfolio. With these resources, we decided to join forces in order to reach our long-term goal to be a world leader in orphan drug development and make a significant contribution to the rare disease community. PSR Group, as a subsidiary of Ergomed, is a Contract Research Organisation providing a wide array of services to biotech and pharma companies in the rare disease niche. It is our mission to make a significant innovative contribution to the availability of new treatments for rare disease patients. PSR Orphan Experts has successfully prepared EMA and FDA Orphan Drug Designation applications and supported regulatory interactions, as well as established links with physician networks, key opinion leaders, government bodies and patient groups. PSR has a vast experience of conducting complex clinical trials in a variety of rare indications. Besides outsourced project solutions, PSR provides insourced staffing solutions (orphan drug teams), temporary and permanent staffing, interim management solutions, as well as training / coaching career programs. Drawing on more than 20 years of expertise in drug development, Ergomed provides specialist services to the pharmaceutical industry and develops drugs both wholly-owned and through partnerships. Ergomed’s fast-growing, profitable service offering spans all phases of clinical development, as well as post-approval pharmacovigilance and medical information. PSR Group B.V. Planetenweg 5 2132 HN Hoofddorp The Netherlands FIRM PROFILE