There are no bad ideas in developing bioanalytical testing, says Jim McNally, CSO of BioAgilytix. Not all ideas will work, of course. But he has found that it is the outside-the-box ideas that often turn out to be the solution in challenging assay work.
Dr. McNally speaks with The Chain about his background in bioanalytical testing and supporting clinical trials, the exciting future of cell and gene therapies, and the importance of setting precedent in bioanalysis of these new, life-saving therapies.
It is an exciting time for gene therapy especially, and Dr. McNally shares how new immunogenicity data is getting us closer to bringing this therapy to more people.
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Jim McNally, PhD, CSO, BioAgilytix; Principal, McNally Bioanalytical Consulting
Dr. McNally has an extensive background in bioanalytical assay development and program leadership spanning 20 years working in the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industry. Prior to joining BioAgilytix, Dr. McNally was Executive Director at CRISPR Therapeutics, where he led a team of scientists to develop a portfolio of assays to support development of gene editing-based therapeutic candidates
throughout their lifecycle. He has also previously held roles at Genzyme, Pfizer, EMD Serono, and Shire which have given him broad experience in the development of large molecule, gene therapy, and cell therapy biotherapeutics. Dr. McNally is a recognized
thought leader in the development and application of bioanalytical methods used in regulatory submissions and is specifically skilled in progression of biotherapeutics from research through clinical development. He has a special interest in the immunogenicity
of biotherapeutics and leads an industry-wide working group to address this issue. A key part of his role at BioAgilytix is advising on emerging scientific developments and providing scientific and regulatory guidance. Dr. McNally obtained his B.S.
in Biology from Mississippi State University, his Ph.D. Viral Immunology from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, and his Post-Doc in Viral Immunology from University of Massachusetts Medical School.