Catch Up with a Relocator - TRAC Services

Keeping the development of new pharmaceutical products on track.

TRAC Services is a specialist consultancy helping pharmaceutical companies navigate the complexities of the regulatory framework.

In just over nine years, they have grown from a home-based consultancy to a multi award winning business that is working with major pharmaceutical companies across the world. The company was started by Jonathan and Sarah Trethowan, who moved back to Cornwall after a twelve year absence.  Jonathan was already an established regulatory professional and Sarah had a background in marketing and communications.  Sarah said 'The regulatory framework for drugs is constantly changing and many pharmaceutical companies, including the multinationals, rely on outside consultants to help them bring new drugs to market, as well as maintaining the licences for existing products.'

After they returned to Cornwall in 2001, Sarah and Jonathan ran the business from home for four years before moving into the Knowledge Spa on the site of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.  This allowed them to forge links with medical and health care professionals and with patient groups. 'It also gave us a trading address that was very appropriate to our company's activities,' Sarah said.

TRAC has added a range of new services since their launch including PIL Testing, where they test the readability of Patient Information Leaflets supplied with medicines. 'Cornwall has proved to be an excellent place to find volunteers for this,' said Sarah.  Due to the company's further expansion TRAC moved into larger premises at Tolvaddon Energy Park in October 2006 where they are located today.

Staff

It was at an event at the Cornwall Medi-Park in May 2005 that Sarah met Allyson Glover - the indefatigable head of graduate placements at UCP - Unlocking Cornish Potential.  

UCP places talented graduates into an organisation for a set period of time under the tutelage of a mentor.  The graduate is generally employed to complete a specific project (e.g: put together and implement a marketing plan), though they are often offered employment once the project is completed.  In some cases UCP will subsidise the graduate's wage.

Allyson and Sarah met at an ideal time - Sarah and Jonathan had been working as a duo since inception and were looking to take on new members of staff.   After speaking to Allyson they agreed that the scheme 'felt right' for them.  Sarah says 'Both Jonathan and I had limited recruiting experience. It was appealing for us that they would help us with recruitment and that we would have a science graduate with mentored support at the end of the process.'

Regulatory Affairs is a highly specialised profession and, although the level of graduate they received through UCP was high, TRAC needed to train them so that they could navigate through the fast changing world of pharmaceutical legislation.  They developed their own training programme which is still in place today. 'We feel really proud to be able to offer work in the science industry to graduates who are based in Cornwall. And people are absolutely delighted to be able to use their degrees and stay down here' said Sarah.

Since they took on the first graduate in 2005, TRAC have employed another eight UCP graduates and all of them, bar one, are still with them today.  

TRAC is constantly looking to expand their service offer.  Sarah says 'We aim to offer a 'full service' regulatory affairs consultancy.'  Their services support pharmaceutical companies during the development, approval and post approval of their products. In the past 12 months they have introduced a Pharmacovigilance service which monitors a product's risk, from the initial clinical trial phase all the way to post-marketing.

Business Support

Assistance with TRAC's training analysis and funding of training came from Cornwall Pure Business, who also helped facilitate the company's move into the Tolvaddon Energy Park. TRAC was also awarded a Cornwall Medipark Ltd business development grant.  More recently, Oxford Innovation helped develop a strategic marketing plan that another UCP graduate will soon be implementing. 

Sarah says 'We came back to the Cornwall as we are proud of the county and what it has to offer.  We feel we have a responsibility to protect that for the future and make sure that there are opportunities in Cornwall for our children - so they know that, if they want to, they can stay in Cornwall and still have a great career.'

To find out more about TRAC services, visit their website.