To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to highlight some of the experiences that I believe make me
highly qualified for any position of leadership and responsibility in the
area of quality assurance/quality systems:
. 28 years of broad drug development experience, including 16 years in a
leadership role in quality assurance, 4 years in the preparation of
Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls documentation, and 8 years in
the development of analytical methods.
. Significant experience in the design, hands-on configuration,
validation, training, and administration of corporate-wide Quality
Systems, including SAP for inventory management and quality
management, Trackwise for deviations, investigations, corrective
actions, and change control, Documentum for document workflow and
mangement, and numerous other electronic and paper systems for
Standard Operating Procedures, Laboratory Information Management,
Training, and administrative purposes.
. Extensive experience as author, reviewer, and approver of divisional
policies and departmental standard operating procedures. Developer of
many forms, templates, and databases for a variety of technical and
business processes.
. Responsible for performing trend analysis of quality incidents and
corrective actions and for reporting the results and conclusions to
senior divisional management.
. Significant experience at leading and participating on teams for drug
development and computer systems implementation.
. Significant experience providing training and preparing training
materials.
. Strong skills in information/document management, communications, and
presentations.
. Ability to multi-task, detail oriented, dependable, comfortable
working hands-on.
. Strong familiarity with cGMP regulations for US, Canada, and EU.
. 19 years of direct or indirect supervisory and coaching experience,
with as many as 8 direct reports.
This is just an overview of the broad experiences I have had in my career
in drug development. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my
qualifications in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Clifford Sachs
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Senior Quality Assurance professional with 28 years of demonstrated
leadership, progressively increasing responsibility, and broad, hands-on
experience in drug development. Significant expertise in the disciplines
of Quality Assurance/Quality Systems, CMC Regulatory Documentation, and
Analytical Research and Development. Experienced in quality oversight of
GMP activities and development of quality management systems, SOPs, and
documentation standards to assure compliance with U.S., Canadian, and EU
GMP regulations for clinical supplies. Additional expertise in the
preparation of CMC Regulatory Documentation, development and documentation
of Analytical Methods, Information/Document Management, and Training.
Expert in strategic thinking, project management, and problem solving.
Excellent communication and relationship building skills. M.B.A -
Pharmaceutical Studies; B.S. - Chemistry.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
VALIDANT STRATEGIC CONSULTING, San Francisco, CA 02/2010 - Present
Performing Quality Assurance consultation in support of the remediation of
a major international pharmaceutical manufacturer for compliance with
regulations for FDA and Health Canada. Implementing enhancements to
systems for Deviations, Investigations, CAPAs, and Process Validation.
Developing strategies for resumption of manufacturing of products on hold
due to compliance shortcomings or manufacturing issues.
PHARMACEUTICS INTERNATIONAL, Hunt Valley, MD 03/2009 - 11/2009
Private contract manufacturer of commercial and clinical supplies with a
large client base.
Director, Quality Assurance
Reported directly to the Vice President, Quality Assurance. Supervised a
team of 4 direct reports. Partnered with senior management of all other
drug development functions to maximize compliance of GMP operations.
. Made critical contributions to the successful remediation and
recertification for compliance with EMEA regulations.
. Responsible for oversight of all investigations into quality incidents
in manufacturing, packaging, and analytical testing and for monitoring
the satisfactory completion of corrective actions.
. Led the Document Change Control function. Responsible for critical
review, approval, and change management of all quality documents,
including SOPs, specifications, protocols, batch records, and test
methods Provided oversight to administrative staff.
TOBIRA THERAPEUTICS, Princeton NJ 06/2008 - 02/2009
Small, private, start-up, drug development organization, backed by venture
capital investors.
Director, Quality Assurance
Reported directly to the Vice President, Quality Assurance/Regulatory
Affairs. Directed company-wide internal and outsourced GMP activities,
including quality management of contractors, batch document review and
approval, SOP development, and review and approval of investigations and
corrective actions. Partnered with Senior Vice President of Clinical
Development and with Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development in
strategic planning for clinical studies.
. Performed initial and ongoing contractor qualification through
completion of audits, implementation of quality agreements, and review
of batch documents and deviations. Partnered with contractors to
enhance quality and compliance of processes.
. Performed investigations into quality incidents in manufacturing,
packaging, and analytical testing and monitored the satisfactory
completion of corrective actions.
. Developed and managed a new SOP system; developed SOPs for Quality
Assurance functions.
. Partnered with Clinical Development and Pharmaceutical Development to
maximize compliance in the design and implementation of clinical
studies.
. Performed quality review of regulatory submissions and clinical
documentation (i.e., clinical protocols, and Investigator's
Brochures).
. Provided quality support to Project Teams, CMC sub-teams, and Clinical
Development sub-teams.
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB, New Brunswick, NJ 06/1982 - 02/2008
( Quality Assurance/Quality Systems (
Associate Director (2000 - 2008) / Group Leader (1996 - 2000) / Manager
(1994 - 1996)
Reported to the Director of Quality Assurance/Quality Systems. Supervised
and trained a team of 8 direct reports; provided strategic and tactical
guidance to a team of 25 within the department; partnered with senior
management of all other drug development functions to maximize compliance
of GMP operations. Developed, validated, provided training for, and
implemented systems for quality management (TrackWise ), supply chain
resource planning (SAP), laboratory information management, and standard
operating procedures (MS Word/Documentum).
. Led Product Release group - responsible for the review of analytical
data and manufacturing records for internal and contract operations,
and for managing research specifications. Participated in
investigations into deviations from SOPs and/or GMPs in Manufacturing
and Analytical R&D.
. Performed business process assessment, software configuration,
validation, implementation, and administration of the Pharmaceutical
Development Quality Management System (TrackWise ), for managing Alert
Notices and related Investigations, Audits and related Observations,
Corrective/Preventative Actions, Batch Record Review, and Vendor
Qualification.
. Provided instruction and guidance on GMP issues for Analytical R&D,
Process Development, and Dosage Form Development. Represented the
Quality Assurance Department on several task forces, standing
committees (e.g., Method Documentation TQM Team, Impurities
Initiative, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Task Force, Information
Systems User Group, LIMS Implementation Team, Computer Validation Task
Force), and numerous Product Development teams.
. Led pharmaceutical development-wide pre-approval readiness teams (30-
40 team members per project) to prepare in advance of and respond
optimally during regulatory inspections for small molecule and
biologics applications.
. Performed audits of laboratories, warehousing, packaging and labeling,
and drug product manufacturing.
. Determined requirements and performed validation, training, and
implementation of numerous quality systems to improve compliance,
improve productivity, streamline operations, and/or minimize resources
in the management of clinical supplies.
. Reported results and conclusions of quality metrics assessment for
quality incidents and corrective actions to senior divisional
management. Fostered steady improvement in first-pass quality and CAPA
closure.
. Established strategies for managing procedural documents and for
managing alignment of divisional procedures with corporate and
interdivisional procedural documents; reduced number of procedures by
1/3 (reduced from ~1500 to ~1000) by identifying harmonization
opportunities for converting local procedures to global procedures.
. Authored, reviewed, and approved SOPs in support of GMPs. Participated
on committees responsible for Analytical R&D and Clinical Supplies
Operations SOPs.
. Implemented the internationally harmonized Gold Standard method
format; enabled the elimination of an entire writing, editing, and
review cycle in preparing analytical method documents for regulatory
submissions.
( CMC Regulatory Documentation (
Documentation Scientist (1992 - 1994) / Research Scientist (1990 - 1992)
Reported to the Director of Quality Operations. Supervised and trained a
team of 2 direct reports; provided strategic and tactical guidance to
over 50 analytical chemists in the preparation of method and validation
documentation for CMC regulatory submissions for Oncology, CNS,
Cardiovascular, Anti-Infective, Anti-Viral, and Diagnostics compounds,
including small molecule and semi-synthetic active pharmaceutical
ingredients.
. Supervised and coordinated the generation of analytical method
documentation and validation reportsfor worldwide regulatory dossiers.
Critically reviewed the technical content and format of these
documents.
. Served as a major technical information resource for worldwide
regulatory actions, which included the assembly of information
required to formulate responses to inquiries from regulatory agencies.
. Authored and reviewed Analytical R&D Standard Operating Procedures;
devised and recommended mechanisms for compliance to and improvements
in GMP, GLP, Safety, Waste Minimization, Communications, and other
technical and administrative policies and procedures.
. Provided critical evaluation, comments, and approval of GMP
documentation for Pharmaceutics R&D, Process Development, and
Diagnostics R&D.
. Provided technical guidance to Analytical R&D and Scientific
Information Systems for the evaluation of computer hardware and
software.
. Supervised and trained other Analytical R&D staff working on
regulatory documentation; reviewed clinical manufacturing, packaging,
and labeling records for GMP compliance.
( Analytical Research & Development (
Assist. Research Invest. (1988 - 1990) / Research Assoc. (1985 - 1988) /
Sr. Research Assist. (1982 - 1985)
Developed and validated analytical methods for materials sciences, atomic
spectroscopy, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Provided testing
results and investigative evidence in to contribute to the development
and manufacturing of APIs and dosage forms, and determined the API and
metabolite content of body fluid specimens from clinical studies.
. Performed Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry method development and
analysis of body fluid specimens for clinical studies of drug
candidates.
. Performed physical characterization of drug substances, intermediates,
and excipients and performed compatibility studies of pharmaceutical
formulations and packaging components by various techniques,
including: Powder X-ray Diffraction, Thermal Analysis, Particle Size
Determination, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Surface Area Measurement,
Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectrophotometry, and Atomic
Spectroscopy.
. Managed laboratory space planning for new laboratory facility housing
over 60 analytical chemists, management, and administrative staff,
reporting functionally to Department Head.
( Awards Received (
. Quality Award - development and implementation of a Quality Systems-
based Procedural Documentation System.
. Quality Award - development and implementation of the Pharmaceutical
Development Quality Management System (TrackWise )
. President's Award - SAP Implementation for the Integrated Supply Chain
Initiative.
. President's Award - significant contributions to the AVAPRO
(irbesartan) NDA Filing Team.
. Star Award - development of training curricula for Quality Assurance
staff.
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration - Pharmaceutical Studies, Fairleigh
Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ
. Unique program emphasizing the structure, operation, trends, and
regulatory considerations of the pharmaceutical industry.
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry, State University of New York, Binghamton,
NY
. Completed advanced courses in Physical Chemistry, Organic chemistry,
and Instrumental Analysis.
PUBLICATIONS
. H.G. Brittain, C.J. Sachs, and K. Fiorelli, "Physical Characterization
of Pharmaceutical Excipients: Practical Examples", Pharmaceutical
Technology, 1991, 15(10):38-52.
. M.E. Arnold, C.J. Sachs, E. Ivashkiv, M. Jemal, and A. Cohen, "The
Semi-Automated Extraction of Captopril in Biological Fluids with a
Zymark BenchMateTM Workstation for Analysis by GC/MS", Advanced
Laboratory Automation and Robotics, 1991, 7:517-531.
. R. O'Laughlin, E. Cohen, C. Sachs, H. Brittain, and S. Varia, "Effects
of Variations in Physicochemical Properties of Glyceryl Monostearate
on the Stability of an Oil-in-Water Cream", J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem.,
1989, 40:215-229.
. H.G. Brittain, J. DeVincentis, and C.J. Sachs, "Physical Studies of
Thermal Dehydration of Aztreonam Tetrahydrate", National AAPS Meeting,
Orlando FL, 1988.
. R.L. Jerzewski, T.M. Wong, C.J. Sachs, and N.B. Jain, "Effect of Wet
Granulation on Fosinopril Sodium Polymorphic Form", Pharmaceutical
Research, 1987, 4(2).
. H.G. Brittain, C.J. Sachs, J.F. Lynch, K.M. Ogle, and D.L. Perry,
"Spectroscopic Studies of Thermal Decomposition Products of Hydrated
Cerous Oxalate", Inorganica Chimica Acta, 1987, 127:229-236.
. J.F. Lynch, C.J. Sachs, and H.G. Brittain, "Thermal Decomposition of
EU2(SO4)3.H2O Studied by Low Temperature High-Resolution Luminescence
Spectroscopy", Thermochimica Acta, 1987, 109:343-351.