MDS Pharma Services is expanding its Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) business in Europe and will now offer full-service DRS consulting services to support development of new drugs and biopharmaceutical products for clients in Europe. The DRS organization will also be fully integrated with consultants in the U.S. and Canada to provide product development consulting, program management, and regulatory affairs services.

“This expansion in Europe will greatly broaden our consulting capabilities in development and regulatory services,” said MDS Pharma Services president David Spaight. “We will now be able to provide expertise to support our biotechnology and Asian pharmaceutical clients in the process of commercializing their products in North American and European markets.”

This expansion includes the appointments of two industry experts, Didier Saur, M.D. as vice president of medical affairs, and Sarah Roberts, Ph.D. as senior director of regulatory affairs. Based near Paris, France, Dr. Saur will lead the MDS Pharma Services product development consulting, program management, and regulatory affairs services in Europe. He will also be responsible for organizing and chairing the medical advisory board for DRS. Dr. Saur has more than 20 years’ experience as a physician in the pharmaceutical and contract research industry.

Dr. Roberts will be based near London and will provide regulatory affairs consulting for clients on European regulatory issues. She has more than 10 years’ experience and is an oncology research specialist. Dr. Roberts has worked with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA and the Gray Cancer Institute in London. She has experience with regulatory agencies in both North America and Europe, and most recently served as a director for Smart Regulatory Solutions Ltd, an independent consulting firm she established.