Australia is quickly becoming a world-leading destination for clinical research, offering a unique combination of quality, expertise, and streamlined regulatory processes to accelerate the delivery of innovative health solutions. Behind every breakthrough therapy, there’s a dedicated team of professionals working tirelessly to ensure its safety, efficacy, and efficient transition into the clinic. For the past 15 years, Accelagen has been a vital part of this process, helping its clients navigate the complexities of clinical trials to get better treatments to patients in need.
As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we’d like to take the opportunity to reflect on the past 15 years, including the origins of Accelagen, what we’ve accomplished, and what lies ahead.
The Origins of Accelagen
When Accelagen CEO Greg Plunkett stepped away from his full-time role in an Australian pharmaceutical and medical device company, and with the steadfast support of Rosa Plunkett, he never intended to start a world-leading CRO. He had a young family, and work-life balance was a key motivator for him.
“When I began consulting, I saw it as an intermediary step while I explored different career directions,” Greg explained. “With young children at home, consulting provided the opportunity to be present with them while maintaining connections and supporting the industry I had always been passionate about.”
The desire to reset the work practice and prioritise family became a driving force behind the creation of Greg’s initial venture, Plunkett Consulting Group. Greg demonstrated that it was possible to be a dedicated professional that could make meaningful contributions to medical research without sacrificing family life and personal well-being. “It may not be discussed enough in business, but I cannot overstate the value of having a family-work balance,” he added.
For the first year, Greg successfully balanced his home and work responsibilities. But as demand for his consulting services grew, he decided it was time to commit to building a full-fledged business. This transition marked the true beginning of Accelagen as it exists today.
Overcoming Early Hurdles
It was Greg’s conscious decision to build a company that not only delivered exceptional value to its clients but also provided a supporting and fulfilling work environment for its employees. This philosophy has now translated into a highly impactful CRO, working collaboratively with our clients to help patients around the world.
Of course, as with any new company, the early years were not without challenges. Greg and Rosa now had to work harder to maintain the work-life balance that they both so deeply valued, while accelerating the growth of Accelagen.
This was the catalyst to Rosa’s decision to join Greg as a consultant and leave the growing CRO that she had been part of for 12 years. Rosa’s skill set within Clinical Operations and Project Management added a new dimension to our client offering.
Client acquisition was another hurdle early on. “We initially relied heavily on word-of-mouth from our existing networks, people we knew and had worked with in the past,” Greg shared. Both his and Rosa’s previous employers engaged them for consulting, especially in the regulatory and clinical operations areas.
“While this was incredible for building the business in the first few years, we eventually shifted to more proactive engagement in the local industry, which allowed us to attract new clients and opportunities. This is how we were able to really create a name for ourselves.” Accelagen has now expanded its client base around the world, working with clients from the biotech and pharmaceutical industry.
The Heart of Accelagen: Our People and a Desire to Make an Impact
“Looking back over the past 15 years, the thing I’m most proud of is the team we have assembled,” says Greg. “Accelagen is what it is today because of the talented people we have. These are the individuals who are driving all the positive outputs our clients have come to know us for.”
“Accelagen truly came to life when the team got together to define our mission statement, which is to make a difference to the future of human health. This is what gets us up in the morning and what keeps us going when things get tough.”
Because of this, the Accelagen team brings not only diverse skill sets and an exceptional understanding of the clinical research landscape, but the motivation to drive meaningful changes every single day. We’ve now had the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies, and we’ve seen the results—patients whose life expectancy has been extended, or their quality of life has improved. We have objective measures to show that the work we’re doing has a positive impact on patients. Being able to contribute to this is a true honour.
The dedication to making a difference in the lives of patients is what sets Accelagen apart. It’s a company that is driven by real people and their hopes for a better future. “With our broad expertise, collaborative approach, and intense motivation, our clients have been able to unlock the true value of their product because we can show them firsthand how it is positively impacting someone’s health. When they recognise this, the importance of persevering becomes overwhelmingly clear,” Greg adds.
Looking Ahead…
Accelagen was born with a mission to put people first—from prioritising a work-life balance amongst our team to our unwavering commitment to clients and patients. This approach has allowed us to grow into a thriving CRO that is making a significant contribution to the advancement of medical research. As we look to the future, we are eager to continue our mission to make a positive impact on the future of human health. In the next article, we navigate how Accelagen adapts to a rapidly evolving landscape, learn what makes our services stand out, and hear what’s on the horizon for the next 15+ years.