Robin Hansen

What is your background in clinical research management?

After working in neurosurgical nursing, I took on a role as a study nurse for migraine clinical trials. I was “discovered” by Pfizer and offered a CRA position. This led to nearly 16 rewarding years in clinical research at Pfizer, across a range of therapeutic areas, culminating in the honour of managing the regional Clinical Operations team.

How did M2M come to fruition and what do you want to achieve as an individual and as an organisation?

When Pfizer decided to close their in-house clinical research department, we were given three years to manage the redundancy of the whole team. This provided the opportunity to really reflect on what the next career move would be. Anne approached me and asked if I’d be interested in doing contract work with her, and Molecule2Market was born! 

For us, the patient always comes first. It is essential that clinical trials are run to the most exacting standards and overseen by experienced professionals. Our motivation in setting up M2M was to fill a gap in the CRO market that we had perceived from the sponsor side: a boutique CRO offering a team of highly experienced clinical research professionals capable of managing trials across all aspects of clinical operations and all phases of research. 

Our flat structure ensures clients have direct access to senior management whenever needed, with complete transparency in the costing and staffing of their trials. By offering the highest quality service, we aim to attract vital clinical trials to Australia, giving Australian patients access to cutting-edge therapies and helping bring essential new treatments to market. 

What experience and qualities do you bring to M2M and to the clients?

My nursing background gave me a broad understanding of human biology and disease, as well as empathy, patient focus, and the ability to engage with people from all walks of life. I specialized in neuroscience, working in neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and stroke wards. My first management role was as Nurse Unit Manager of a neurosurgery ward. I was responsible for staff, patients, and their families, as well as the unit’s finances and resources.

I then took on my first clinical research role as a study nurse, where I gained first-hand understanding of clinical research from both a site and patient perspective. Since then, I’ve worked as a monitor, site manager, project manager, and department manager in both large pharma and small CRO settings. These experiences gave me a deep appreciation of clinical research from the sponsor’s perspective, and a strong belief in the importance of quality, agility, and open communication to the success of any clinical trial.

What makes M2M stand apart from other CROs?

Without question, it’s our team. We are a highly skilled and agile group of professionals, offering the perfect solution for biotechs that don’t have in-house resources to run clinical trials. We pride ourselves on building a team and collaborative network of only the highest-quality people, with extensive early-phase clinical trial experience.

Our transparency and open communication enable us to provide sponsors with an efficient, dedicated, and cost-effective full-service model without compromising on quality or safety. Our lean, agile business model supports our aim of prioritizing patients and making the entire clinical trial process a seamless, cost-effective, and even enjoyable experience for our sponsors.

What are the biggest challenges for a CRO and how does M2M overcome them?

A major challenge for many CROs right now is attracting quality, experienced staff. Everyone at M2M has been referred to us by trusted colleagues who have worked with them previously. All are hand-picked for their breadth of experience, customer focus, and team fit.

Another challenge for small CROs is convincing potential clients that we can provide a more tailored, higher quality service than larger CROs. Many small biotechs entering their first Phase I study believe they’ll be “in safer hands” with a large CRO – but this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Too often, smaller studies get lost within big organisations, which prioritise larger clients and leave early-phase projects in the hands of junior staff. As we like to say: “Let the elephants dance with the elephants!”

Global reach is another hurdle for smaller CROs. M2M has addressed this through our membership with AICROS, giving clients access to local experts across the world—all under the M2M umbrella. This enables us to support international studies without compromising quality or losing the personalised service that sets us apart.

What are the biggest challenges for M2Ms clients and how does M2M help them to resolve these?

Our clients are primarily small biotech companies in the early stages of drug or device development. Funding is often a significant challenge, meaning they must spend research dollars carefully. M2M provides constructive feedback on their development plans to ensure their clinical trials are asking the right questions.

Our flat structure also allows us to offer services at a cost-effective rate—our clients don’t pay for the overheads of a multi-layered organisation with large sales teams, HR departments, and corporate office space.

If you weren’t a director of M2M what would you be? (Imagine your 10 year old self!)

Ooooh, so many ideas! When I was 3 or 4, I wanted to be a postie so that I could ride around the neighborhood and say hello to everyone. Then I went through a brief teacher phase (primary school), before switching to nurse or pharmacist in high school. I tried both of those and ended up here! 

After leaving Pfizer, I did consider opening a wine bar—but quickly realised I’d be on the non-preferred side of the bar, so that wouldn’t work. I also thought about flipping houses, but with no trade skills that probably wouldn’t have been profitable. I think I’d probably breed Vizslas, but I’d be hopeless because I’d want to keep all the puppies! I guess it’s lucky I love what I do.

Pippa and Lara, Robin’s Vizslas