Management Team
Tim Scott
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Member of the Board
Mr. Scott brings more than twenty years of pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) leadership experience. Previously, Mr. Scott was co-founder and president of Pharmatek Laboratories, a CDMO where he led the growth and ultimate sale of the company to Catalent Pharma Solutions. Mr. Scott currently serves on the boards of multiple organizations, including Avelas Biosciences, DTx Pharma, CONNECT, BIOCOM, and the University of California, San Diego’s Dean’s Advisory Council for the Division of Biological Sciences. He previously served on the board of Zacharon Pharmaceuticals (sold to Biomarin 2014). In the community, Mr. Scott is a trustee for the University of San Diego, the La Jolla Playhouse, and Outside the Lens, a non-profit providing photography and digital media programs for underserved youth. At UC San Diego, he has founded or supported multiple biotech spinouts including Zacharon, TEGA therapeutics, LipoNexus, Knoubis Bio, Nerio and Augment Biosciences. Mr. Scott earned his BA in Biochemistry from UC San Diego, and his JD from the University of San Diego. He is a member of the California Bar.
Dave A. Miller, PhDChief Scientific Officer (CSO)
Dr. Miller brings over two decades of pharmaceutical development experience and has spent his career investigating ways to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble molecules. As CSO of AustinPx, Dr. Miller leads the pharmaceutics and analytical development teams and oversees the application of the KinetiSol™ Technology. Prior to his current position, Dr. Miller served as Vice President of Research and Development at DisperSol Technologies and Senior Principal Scientist at Hoffmann-La Roche. Dr. Miller specializes in formulation and processing technologies for improving oral bioavailability of insoluble small molecules. He has applied his expertise toward advancing numerous drug candidates through all stages of development from early discovery to line extension. Dr. Miller is a co-inventor of the pharmaceutical applications of the KinetiSol technology and continues to be a key innovative driver for application and expansion of the platform. He has published over 40 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, authored 8 book chapters, and is co-editor of the First, Second, and Third Editions of the textbook, Formulating Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs. He is a co-inventor on numerous granted and pending patents worldwide. Dr. Miller holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Chris Brough, MBA, PhDChief Technology Officer (CTO)
Dr. Brough is CTO of AustinPx where he leads technology development and commercialization of the Company’s KinetiSol™ Technology equipment. In 1999, he started a plastics recycling company based on a novel patented process that he invented, a forerunner to KinetiSol. That company was acquired by IntegriCo Composites in 2005. As IntegriCo’s VP of Engineering and Product Development, Dr. Brough led the development and deployment of his technology at IntegriCo and into multiple plastics industry partners. In 2006, Dr. Brough met Dave Miller and the two evaluated the technology for the creation of solid amorphous dispersions of pharmaceuticals. Upon successful results, Dr. Brough redesigned the equipment for pharmaceutical GMP use and joined Gershon Yaniv to launch DisperSol Technologies in 2007. Dr. Brough holds a BS and MS in mechanical engineering, along with an MBA from Brigham Young University and has a PhD in Pharmaceutics from the University of Texas at Austin. His research focused on drug solubility enhancement and abuse deterrent formulation applications of the KinetiSol process.
Justin M. Keen, PhD
Senior Vice President, Operations
Dr. Keen has over twenty years of experience in pharmaceutical formulation development, process development, clinical manufacturing and process validation. As Senior VP of Operations, Dr. Keen leads our manufacturing, quality control, facilities and IT teams. After earning his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas, Dr. Keen worked as a formulation scientist at DPT Laboratories and PharmaForm, LLC where he gained wide experience in hot melt extrusion, blending, granulation, compression, encapsulation and clinical labeling. Dr. Keen served as the Director of Manufacturing at PharmaForm for 5 years where he oversaw clinical manufacturing, scale up, facility/equipment/process validation, maintenance and warehousing operations. Dr. Keen has supported process development and validation activities and worked with over 30 new chemical entities for numerous formulation development and clinical supply campaigns. Dr. Keen earned his PhD in Pharmaceutics under the supervision of Professor James W. McGinity from the University of Texas at Austin.
Elizabeth Hickman
Chief Business Officer
Ms. Hickman brings more than a decade of pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) sales and marketing experience. As CBO of AustinPx she oversees business development, marketing, and project management. Her career in the CDMO sector began at Pharmatek Laboratories, an early phase pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company, where she led marketing. Ms. Hickman then took marketing and business development roles with PharmaForm (now BioDuro-Sundia) and Pharmaceutics International Inc., both CDMOs, prior to returning to Pharmatek to lead the sales and marketing teams and oversee the Company’s growth and acquisition strategy. Upon Pharmatek’s acquisition by Catalent, Ms. Hickman took on the role of Director of Strategic Marketing and then Director of Business Development for the business unit. She has a BA in Microbiology from the University of Texas, Austin and an MBA from San Diego State University.
Francesco Sherod, CPA
Vice President, Finance
Amy M. Kimbro, MSc
Director, Quality Assurance (QA)
Ms. Kimbro brings two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on Quality and Regulatory. As Director of Quality Assurance at AustinPx, she oversees Quality, Safety and Regulatory functions. Prior to working at AustinPx, Ms. Kimbro worked in QC and QA at Allergan, PharmaForm, Elan Corporation and Alkermes. Her experience covers a variety of dosage forms, including solutions, suspensions, gels and solid oral products. Ms. Kimbro’s quality assurance experience spans clinical to commercial, including regulatory submissions. She earned her BA in Chemistry from Texas A&M University and her MSc in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance from Temple University.