In this episode of Oncoinfluencers on OncoDaily, host Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan explores the evolution of clinical research in Eastern Europe with Mikhail Grubman, CEO of Atlan Clinical — one of the region’s leading contract research organizations (CROs). Speaking from Moscow, they dive into how Atlan grew from a local startup to a globally recognized partner for Big Pharma and biotech. Grubman shares strategic insights on:
- Expanding from Russia to a global footprint across Armenia, Turkey, and Portugal
- Building a high-performing CRO team from displaced medical and scientific talent
- Competing with global CROs through speed, flexibility, and risk-sharing models
- Navigating geopolitics while maintaining FDA- and EMA-ready clinical trial quality
- Partnering with US biotech leader Aegida to accelerate drug development timelines
An essential watch for anyone interested in the business of clinical trials, cross-border collaboration, and the future of oncology research.
00:00 Introduction
00:32 What Atlan Clinical does and how it evolved into a global CRO
01:54 Challenges of starting a CRO in Russia and building trust with international clients
03:09 Recruiting highly educated staff with scientific and medical backgrounds
05:23 Collaborating with major pharma companies like GSK, Merck, AstraZeneca
06:22 Building a flexible, high-quality system to compete with global CROs
09:11 Risk-sharing approach and commitment to timelines and budgets
10:20 Acquisition by U.S. biotech company Agenus in 2020
16:45 Opportunities for fast, high-quality clinical research in Russia today
19:03 Mikhail Grubman’s background: from biochemist to CRO leader