Wheeler Bio, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has announced the appointment of Patrick Lucy as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With more than 32 years of extensive experience in the biotechnology industry, Lucy’s leadership is set to guide Wheeler Bio through its next phase of growth as it transforms drug discovery and development with its innovative Portable CMC® platform.
A Proven Leader Joins Wheeler Bio
Patrick Lucy brings decades of experience in driving strategic growth and development for biotech organizations. He previously served as President and CEO of RoslinCT US (formerly Lykan Bioscience), where he played a pivotal role in launching the business, facilitating its sale to GHO Capital, and overseeing its integration into RoslinCT. His leadership resume also includes key roles at Pfenex Inc., Repligen Corporation, Celltech Biologics, Lonza Biologics, and Collaborative BioAlliance.
“We are thrilled to welcome Patrick to the Wheeler team,” said Jesse McCool, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Wheeler Bio. “His impressive track record of establishing and scaling biotechnology organizations makes him the right leader to guide Wheeler as we transition to a fully integrated commercial-scale CDMO.”
Lucy’s arrival marks a significant milestone for Wheeler Bio as the company continues to scale its operations to meet the evolving needs of the biotech industry. Wheeler Bio has distinguished itself as a pioneer of innovation, emphasizing flexibility, transparency, and efficiency through its Portable CMC® platform.
“I am honored to join Wheeler Bio at such a pivotal time,” said Lucy. “Wheeler has built a strong scientific foundation, and I’m excited to lead the team in supporting both clinical and commercial-scale biotechnology production. Wheeler Bio is well-positioned to solidify its place as a major biotechnology hub in the United States.”
Wheeler Bio’s Portable CMC®: A Game-Changer for Early-Stage Biopharma
Wheeler Bio’s Portable CMC® platform is a disruptive force in the CDMO landscape, addressing many of the inefficiencies in traditional drug development models. By offering open-source, client-owned processes, the platform provides innovators with a streamlined and flexible pathway from drug discovery to scalable clinical manufacturing. This flexibility is critical in today’s rapidly evolving biotech environment, where start-up biopharma companies need to progress smoothly and efficiently to first-in-human (FIH) trials and beyond.
Portable CMC® enables customers to navigate the complexities of chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) development, allowing them to access critical tools, reduce risks, and accelerate timelines. The platform integrates seamlessly with discovery contract research organizations (CROs) and other service providers, ensuring that customers can choose their manufacturing partners with confidence. Unlike the conventional CDMO model, which often locks companies into exclusive partnerships, Portable CMC® allows innovators the freedom to transfer their processes to other CDMOs or continue with Wheeler Bio — all with no strings attached.
Streamlining Drug Development with Portable CMC®
Wheeler Bio’s Portable CMC® platform simplifies the drug development process with three key modules: Lead to Manufacturability, Lead to Tox, and Lead to Clinic. These modules are designed to reduce costs and shorten the time it takes for drug candidates to reach clinical trials by addressing key steps from cell line development to investigational new drug (IND) submission.
Lead to Manufacturability helps companies quickly assess the quality, stability, and scalability of their drug candidates using advanced tools such as transposon-mediated gene delivery. This approach enables the rapid selection of promising candidates, expediting the decision-making process.
Lead to Tox focuses on accelerating the production of materials needed for toxicology studies, reducing the risk of delays and helping companies secure the funding necessary to advance their programs. By producing preclinical materials efficiently, this module minimizes bottlenecks during early-phase studies.
Lead to Clinic ensures a smooth transition to clinical manufacturing by providing consistent drug production and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. From process definition to IND filing, this module helps companies meet safety, identity, strength, purity, and quality (SISPQ) requirements while staying on track with their development timelines.
By incorporating digital solutions such as artificial intelligence and automation, the Portable CMC® platform enhances productivity and efficiency, allowing companies to move from discovery to clinic faster and with minimized risks.
Addressing Industry Challenges with Strategic Partnerships
Wheeler Bio’s approach to biomanufacturing not only speeds up timelines but also seeks to transform the outsourcing paradigm through strategic partnerships. Collaborating with key players like Alloy Therapeutics, Charles River Laboratories, and ATUM, Wheeler Bio is building a robust ecosystem that supports drug developers across the entire development cycle.
For example, the company’s partnership with Alloy Therapeutics has been instrumental in demonstrating the efficacy of Portable CMC®. Alloy’s proprietary ATX-Gx™ mice for monoclonal antibody discovery, combined with Wheeler Bio’s manufacturing capabilities, have helped streamline the path from discovery to clinic, offering reduced costs and faster timelines for joint clients.
Similarly, Wheeler Bio’s collaboration with Charles River Laboratories integrates preclinical and clinical manufacturing services, enabling seamless transitions from discovery to clinical trials. These partnerships ensure that clients benefit from a well-coordinated, highly efficient process that minimizes the complexities of managing multiple vendor relationships.
Expanding Capabilities with ATUM’s miFuc™ Technology
In a significant development, Wheeler Bio recently expanded its capabilities through the licensing of ATUM’s miFuc™ technology. This cutting-edge platform enhances Wheeler Bio’s Portable CMC® by enabling the production of recombinant proteins containing afucosylated glycans. These antibodies exhibit increased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), improving the efficacy of select therapeutics. This innovation is a direct result of ATUM’s proprietary Leap-In Transposase® technology, which is already a core part of Wheeler Bio’s cell line development platform.
With this new technology, Wheeler Bio’s clients can produce therapeutic antibodies with enhanced effector engagement, increasing therapeutic windows and reducing toxicity. This licensing agreement not only enhances Wheeler Bio’s antibody platform but also provides clients with the flexibility to produce more effective therapeutics without adding risks to manufacturability or timelines.
Pioneering a New Era in Biomanufacturing
Wheeler Bio’s mission to redefine biomanufacturing is grounded in its commitment to innovation, transparency, and collaboration. As traditional CDMO models struggle to keep pace with the demands of personalized medicine, rare disease treatments, and advanced modalities like cell and gene therapies, Wheeler Bio’s Portable CMC® platform offers a path forward for both emerging and established biopharma companies.
By embracing digitalization and automation, and by fostering deep partnerships with CROs and other service providers, Wheeler Bio is helping biopharma innovators unlock faster, more efficient pathways to clinical success. Wheeler Bio’s continued expansion of its capabilities through strategic partnerships — such as the integration of ATUM’s miFuc™ technology — reinforces its position as a transformative force in the CDMO landscape, empowering clients to develop the next generation of therapeutics with confidence and speed.