Medidata Solutions’ R&D Head Keith Howells Recognized by PharmaVOICE for Industry Vision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Medidata Solutions’ R&D Head Keith Howells Recognized by
PharmaVOICE for Industry Vision
Innovator of Single Electronic Data Capture and Management System for
Clinical Trials Named to PharmaVOICE 100
NEW YORK, N.Y. – July 28, 2008 – Medidata Solutions, a leading provider of clinical trial solutions, today announced that Vice President of Development Keith Howells has been selected as one of PharmaVOICE’s top 100 most inspirational people in the life sciences industry.
An Oxford-educated physicist who began working in clinical trial automation in 1993, Howells has had a major impact on the transformation of the clinical trial industry from paper-based systems to one powered and streamlined by computers and the Internet. Howells has been Vice President of Development at Medidata since 2005, where he has built the company’s electronic data capture platform Medidata Rave® into one of the industry’s leading solutions, combining user-friendly data capture and robust data management functionalities into a single, Internet-accessible system.
Prior to joining Medidata, Howells was a primary developer of the Oracle Clinical system, one of the industry’s early data capture systems. Howells subsequently decided that Medidata had the technology and talent to achieve his vision of clinical data capture and management in a single, Web-based system, thereby streamlining the process of bringing medical treatments safely to market. At Medidata, Howells has built a team of innovative and motivated developers who have continued to advance life sciences research through new system capabilities and feature enhancements.
“Keith’s understanding of the challenges faced by sponsors and clinical researchers, combined with his technical brilliance and creativity, has allowed him to drive the evolution of Medidata Rave,” said Glen de Vries, President at Medidata Solutions. “As a result, Keith is largely responsible for the cohesive growth of Medidata Rave into a platform with powerful tools for data management, as well as data capture. Keith will be the first to give credit to his department, a group of creative and skilled individuals that he built into a motivated team.”
Howells attributes his success to his ability to live both in the “user and technology camps” – absorbing and translating user needs into practical new solutions that help clinical researchers manage clinical trials in the safest and most effective way possible. He has expanded the size of Medidata’s development team fivefold within the last three years by providing dynamic leadership and mentoring.
Leading executives from across the life science industry were nominated for this year’s PharmaVOICE top 100 most inspirational people. A panel of PharmaVOICE editors chose the winners based on their ability to inspire, motivate and influence corporate leadership, research and development, technology, creativity and marketing and strategy. “The PharmaVOICE 100 are individuals who inspire their colleagues and peers; they motivate those around them to succeed and reach beyond their expectations; they think outside of the box to create new business processes and models; and they are pioneers, often forging new paths to success,” said Taren Grom, editor-in-chief and cofounder of PharmaVOICE. “We are extremely pleased and honored to recognize these 100 individuals who come from all of the different sectors of the industry. They are personally influencing those around them through their positive actions. They have the unique ability to translate industry issues into opportunities, and they take the time to mentor the next generation of leaders in the life-sciences arena.”
Joining the ranks of Medidata’s co-founders Tarek Sherif, Glen de Vries and Dr. Edward Ikeguchi, Howells is the fourth Medidata executive to be recognized with the PharmaVOICE 100 award.
About Medidata Solutions Worldwide
Medidata Solutions (www.mdsol.com) is a leading provider of clinical trial solutions that enable the world’s most advanced life science organizations to maximize the value of their clinical research investments by putting powerful tools into researchers’ hands. A pioneer since 1999 in innovative technologies for planning and managing clinical studies – including protocol design; clinical data capture, management and reporting; and trial contracting and negotiation – Medidata Solutions and its global network of business partners address the unique needs of sponsors and sites of all sizes. With deep expertise in conducting studies across all phases and therapeutic areas, on six continents and in
more than 80 countries, Medidata Solutions helps clinical researchers reduce trial cycle times, achieve early visibility to reliable clinical data, and maintain strict fiscal responsibility, while safely accelerating the process of bringing life-enhancing treatments to market.
About PharmaVOICE
PharmaVOICE, Titusville, N.J., is expressly written and designed to deliver the views, opinions, and insights of executives who are shaping the direction of the dynamic lifesciences industry. PharmaVOICE reaches more than 17,500 readers with each print issue. PharmaVOICE’s unique horizontal editorial approach cuts across industry silos, providing a holistic overview of the life-sciences industry, addressing a range of topics from molecule through market. By engaging compelling personalities from diverse industry sectors, PharmaVOICE provides multiple perspectives on business challenges, trends, and topics. Editorial content sparks dialog, initiates debate, and opens the lines of communication to facilitate and improve business-to-business relationships. PharmaVOICE's unique multiple-perspective and in-depth original forums, feature articles, topics, and departments are audience-driven. PharmaVOICE provides executives with useful peer-to-peer insights on a broad range of business ractices and topics.
Contact:
Susan McCarron
Lois Paul & Partners
781.782.5767
Susan_McCarron@lpp.com