Mike Bickerdike

Mike is a preclinical drug development consultant with 30 years’ experience in the pharma sector. In this time, has held several senior roles in the UK and New Zealand as a neuroscientist, project manager, CSO and Director of R&D. Responsible for early-stage drug development from chemical lead identification, biological screening, formal toxicity, safety testing, and drug manufacture, he has successfully taken numerous molecules through to clinical trials. Notably, Mike led the invention, research and preclinical development of trofinetide, a novel marketed drug for the treatment of Rett Syndrome, which remains the only marketed novel drug invented and developed in New Zealand to date. Mike has now operated as an independent consultant in the sector for over 10 years, helping numerous clients in Australasia and the wider world efficiently navigate the preclinical pathway in their drug development programs. He has been a member of the Return on Science Pharma and Biotech Investment committee for over 10 years and is a past Chair. He has a PhD in neuropharmacology.