Parexel, a provider of solutions to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative therapies to improve world health, has appointed Clare Grace, Ph.D., as the company’s first chief patient officer. The appointment reflects the role of the patient as central to the company’s mission of keeping patients at the heart of all clinical trial activity.

“Patients are at the heart of everything we do,” said Sy Pretorius, MD, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Parexel. “Clare’s proven track record of delivering innovative patient and site engagement programs make her the perfect candidate to lead our patient-focused mission. We are pleased to welcome her to Parexel as we further evolve our support for patients and investigative sites worldwide.”

“I am thrilled to join Parexel and to continue to champion the company’s patient focus to ultimately improve clinical trials and accelerate the delivery of new therapies for patients around the world,” commented Dr. Grace. “I look forward to working closely with our sites and technology partners to improve the patient experience and to further infuse the patient perspective across all studies and further enhance our ability to deliver innovative clinical trial solutions that meet our customers’ needs.”

Experience

With more than 20 years of experience in the CRO and biopharmaceutical industries, Grace was recognized in 2018 by PharmaVoice as one of the top 100 most inspirational leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. She earned a doctorate in Molecular Oncology from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and a bachelor's degree in applied biochemistry from Liverpool John Moores University, both in England. Grace is active in several global and national-level advisory groups, including the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) and the SCRS Leadership Council.

As chief patient officer for Parexel, Grace will lead global patient advocacy and site efforts, including patient engagement strategies and efforts to enhance clinical trial diversity as well as new, innovative approaches to help teams and customers work more effectively with investigative sites.

Most recently she served as vice president, Site & Patient Access at Syneos Health, formerly INC Research, where she oversaw all departments responsible for patient engagement, feasibility, site identification, strategic site relations and investigator payments. Her experience also includes senior-level patient and site-focused leadership roles with PPD, Astra Zeneca and Antisoma.