When customers with aseptic pharmaceutical projects reach out to Pharmaceutics International (Pii) for development support, they typically meet Bryan Braxton, and soon after, they get the feeling of confidence that comes with choosing the right contract developer.

The first thing one notices about Bryan is his friendly, grounded demeanor, something for which he gives credit to his parents and his blue-collar, Midwestern upbringing. Underneath that friendliness is a scientific mind that creates solutions for our most complex aseptic development projects. But how did these two traits combine in the same person?

Bryan recalls riding in the back seat of his family sedan when he was in elementary school as his father drove his mother to and from work and college. His mother’s example and father’s support for the family became an inspiration for Bryan and his older sisters, which ignited a passion for life-long learning that burns brightly to this day.

At some point in high school, Bryan became attracted to the pharmacy and while attending the School of Pharmacy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), his curiosity to compounding caught the attention of his professor, Dr. Beverly Sandmann. She asked Bryan if he would like to do some research for her on the modeling of dissolution rates of aspirin.

Dr. Sandmann suggested Bryan apply to the University of Kansas Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, down the road from UMKC. The program was founded and chaired by her major professor, Dr. Takeru Higuchi, considered to be the father of physical pharmacy and a legendary figure in the field. The program transitioned to the chairmanship of Dr. Ronald Borchardt, himself a pioneer in protein formulation sciences. It was during his time at the University of Kansas that Bryan learned the process of uniting first principle physical sciences with formulation and dosage form development, a passion which he enjoys each day at Pii. He will also bring his perspectives to dosage form design as a licensed pharmacist.

Bryan credits his time at the University of Kansas under the tutelage of Dr. J. Howard Rytting, himself accomplished in physical chemistry, as the foundation for his scientific work in pharmaceutics at Pii. Bryan describes physical pharmacy as the perfect and imperfect integration of math, chemistry, and pharmacy.

When describing his role, he says, “it is all about relationships” and understanding the dosage form objectives of the drug sponsor.  As a senior director of Aseptic R&D in a CDMO, the relationship with the drug sponsor is critically important. However, when engaged in the hard work of R&D, the important relationship is that between the science and the patient.

If you are interested in speaking with Bryan about your aseptic project, contact us, we guarantee it will be time well spent.