Sidley Austin LLP Expands Global Life Sciences Presence With Addition of Drug Development Professional Dr. Ling Su in Shanghai

SHANGHAI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Dr. Ling Su, a non-lawyer who is a seasoned drug development professional, has joined the firm as a Strategic Advisor in its China Life Sciences practice. He will draw from his extensive regulatory and industry experience to advise clients on the non-legal aspects of the Chinese regulatory and clinical trial environment as it pertains to product development, clinical trial implementation and other related issues.

“We are pleased that he chose our team and our lawyers look forward to collaborating with him as we guide our clients through the complex regulatory issues surrounding drug development and clinical trials.”

Dr. Su brings over 20 years’ experience across the broad spectrum of drug development processes to his role with Sidley. Having served in multiple senior research and development positions within the industry and as a former regulator in China, he has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the drug development and clinical trials process, particularly in Asia and the US. He has a vast amount of experience dealing with regulatory affairs issues, product development strategy, clinical research, drug safety and pharmacoepidemiolgy. Dr. Su maintains a strong network within the regulatory, clinical research, drug safety and pharmacovigilance communities. He currently serves as President of the Asia chapter of the Drug Information Association and continues to serve as a professor.

“It is exciting for me to embark on this new challenge with Sidley to develop a multi-faceted advisory service to complement the world-class legal services the firm already provides the life sciences industry,” said Dr. Su. “I believe it is visionary for Sidley to add a non-lawyer researcher to their roster of professionals who help guide companies through the increasingly complex R&D, government-regulated environment. I have great respect for the lawyers in the China Life Sciences practice led by partner Chen Yang, and I know we can build an even more dynamic service for our clients. ”

“Dr. Su’s deep knowledge and understanding of the current life sciences environment in China, as well as his corporate and government experience, will be a tremendous asset to our clients dealing with GMP, product development and clinical trial operations,” said Scott Bass, Head of Sidley’s Global Life Sciences team. “He adds a new dimension to our services, encompassing advice on the non-legal aspects of structuring approval strategies, setting up R&D projects and navigating the Chinese regulatory environment.”

Prior to joining Sidley, Dr. Su served as Senior Vice President and Head of Development for the Greater China Region in Novartis Pharma, where he was responsible for product development strategies and execution in China. He also previously held executive positions with Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Limited, and Merck & Co., Inc. Before his entry into the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Su held several government positions, including serving as a staff officer in China’s Ministry of Health Bureau of Drug Policy and Administration, the predecessor of today’s State Food and Drug Administration, where he had responsibility for new drug regulation and policy development. He has also served as a visiting scientist at the U.S. FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

In addition to his regulatory and industry experience, Dr. Su has strong ties to academia. He currently serves as President of the Drug Information Association, a global, nonprofit association providing knowledge resources across the full spectrum of medical product development. He is also an adjunct faculty member in the School of Pharmacy, Fudan University in Shanghai, and the Advisory Committee Chair of the Chinese Course of the Drug Development and Regulatory Sciences in the Peking University Clinical Institute. Additionally, Dr. Su is a Symposium Scholar in Shenyang Pharmaceutical University.

“The strong combination of academic, government and industry experience and perspective Dr. Su brings to Sidley enables us to share best practices from each of these sectors with our clients,” said Thomas Albrecht, Managing Partner for Sidley’s Asia Pacific Region. “We are pleased that he chose our team and our lawyers look forward to collaborating with him as we guide our clients through the complex regulatory issues surrounding drug development and clinical trials.”

Sidley Austin LLP is a premier full-service law firm with approximately 1700 lawyers practicing in 18 U.S. and international cities, including six in Asia – Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. This year, Sidley celebrates 30 years in Asia.

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