BOS Basel 2026

Business Development Director

Ben Vermeulen, PhD, is Business Development Director at Ardena. He brings a combination of scientific expertise and commercial experience, supporting biotech and pharmaceutical companies across drug development and CMC programs. Ben joined Ardena in 2016 as part of the Project Management Office, where he guided clients through formulation development, GMP manufacturing, analytical development and validation, and clinical supply activities. He later transitioned into business development and technical CMC sales roles, supporting clients by bridging scientific and strategic aspects of pharmaceutical development. In parallel, he also served as Safety Coordinator, overseeing API safety-related activities at Ardena. His expertise spans immunobiology, clinical development, CMC, safety, highly potent APIs (HPAPIs), and nanomedicine. Ben obtained his degree in Bio-engineering, specializing in Cell and Gene Biotechnology, and earned his PhD in Virology and Immunobiology from Ghent University. He began his career as a technology developer at a Belgian-Australian biotech start-up before moving into the investment sector, where he evaluated oncology therapeutics for a private investor.

Business Development Director

Marion Andrist is Business Development Director at Ardena. She brings more than 10 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and CDMO/CRO industries in Europe, combining a scientific background with expertise in marketing and strategic business development. Throughout her career, Marion has supported biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the development and manufacturing of drug substances, drug products, and innovative therapeutic solutions. Her experience includes strategic partnerships, international account management, contract negotiations, and cross-functional project coordination from early development through industrial scale-up. Before joining Ardena, she held business development and commercial roles at SEQENS, NUVISAN Pharma Services, and Axyntis Group, where she developed expertise in APIs, CDMO services, pharmaceutical development, and international collaborations. Marion combines scientific understanding with commercial and operational expertise, supporting strategic partnerships across complex pharmaceutical development and manufacturing programs.

Business Development Director

Dr. Raja Yekkala is Business Development Director at Ardena. He brings more than 20 years of experience across pharmaceutical sciences, CMC development, analytical sciences, drug product development, clinical supply, and manufacturing support. At Ardena, Raja focuses on strategic business development for integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing programs in both human and veterinary applications. He supports clients throughout the full development journey, from early-stage activities through clinical phases, working closely with multidisciplinary teams across formulation development, analytical development, GMP manufacturing, regulatory affairs, project management, and clinical supply. His expertise includes comparator sourcing strategies, clinical trial supply planning, and the coordination of complex clinical supply programs supporting global development activities. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to bringing several dozen compounds into clinical development. Prior to transitioning into business development leadership roles, Raja held scientific and project management positions at Ardena and Pharmavize, where he managed complex CMC programs, clinical supply manufacturing activities, and cross-functional development projects. Earlier in his career, he worked as a research scientist at KU Leuven, contributing to pharmaceutical analysis, method development, and pharmacopoeial monographs adopted by the WHO. Raja is a pharmacist by training and obtained his PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis from KU Leuven, Belgium. He is author and co-author of multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications, contributor to internationally recognized pharmacopoeial monographs, and co-inventor of a patent related to pharmaceutical formulation technologies.

AD, Formulation & Production

Dr. Timothy Pas is Associate Director, Formulation Development and Production at Ardena. He leads a team supporting formulation development and GMP manufacturing activities for early clinical programs. Since joining Ardena, Timothy has progressed from Formulation Scientist to Group Leader and currently Associate Director. Throughout his career at Ardena, he has developed extensive expertise in oral and parenteral formulations, formulation development strategies, and GMP manufacturing operations supporting early-stage pharmaceutical development programs. Timothy obtained a Master’s degree in Drug Development and earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology from KU Leuven, specializing in enabling technologies and galenic principles.