Next-generation therapies demand a next-generation R&D partner.
The Innovation CRO advantage of Veranex is purpose-built to overcome the unique challenges of combination products, drug delivery systems, and companion diagnostics. We solution-engineer with you to power your product from concept through commercialization.
Move vision to velocity. Turn risks into results. Deliver measurable patient impact.
They require disciplined execution that transforms site information into evidence regulators trust. Veranex powers some of the industry’s biggest CROs and biopharma sponsors, translating site data into compelling, accurate, submission-ready evidence from Phases I–IV.
Veranex Biopharma represents our dedicated focus on advancing new therapies, diagnostics, and delivery systems for biopharma innovators.
Behind every breakthrough is the full force of Veranex, the Innovation CRO built to bridge visionary science and market reality with proven expertise, agile execution, and an unwavering commitment to patient impact.
One company. Full integration. Biopharma breakthroughs accelerated.
Lisa guides our Medical Device CRO team helping clients deliver the next generation of medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics. She has helped MedTech innovators bring to life scores of new medical devices and/or generational enhancements over her 15-plus year career.
Having worked on both sides of the innovator | CRO fence, especially in the coronary and structural heart domains, including senior roles with Medtronic, BD and JenaValve, she understands what innovators need and how to get there be they startups, growth stage companies or large strategics. JenaValve, a pioneer in transcatheter treatment of aortic regurgitation, was acquired by Edwards Life Sciences in 2024.
Lisa brings comprehensive expertise across business unit, corporate, and small business operations, with particular focus on real-world evidence, data analytics, and operational excellence; concept to commercialization and beyond.
David W. Dockhorn serves as chief operating officer, leveraging over 32 years of life sciences leadership experience. As a co-founder of a successful CRO that was later acquired by Carlyle and integrated into PRA Health Sciences, Inc., he has demonstrated exceptional operational expertise throughout his career. At PRA, he served as executive vice president and chief compliance officer, overseeing global quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and multiple operational divisions. He previously led Phase I Operations and Clinical Pharmacology Laboratories, managing approximately 2,500 employees and a $750M budget. He holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in Physiological Psychology from Pittsburgh State University.
Dr. Morales leads the clinical and medical vision for Veranex’s iCRO business, shaping how we deliver innovative, patient-centered, and compliant solutions for our clients across all phases of development. He brings over 15 years of clinical, regulatory, and scientific leadership experience to his role as Chief Medical Officer at Veranex.
Before joining Veranex, Dr. Morales served in senior leadership roles at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including Chief Medical Officer in the Office of Clinical Evidence and Analysis and Senior Medical Advisor in the Office of Clinical Policy. He provided clinical and regulatory oversight on more than 1,000 medical device submissions and played a key role in implementing the FDA’s Early Feasibility Studies (EFS) program.
A trained vascular and endovascular surgeon, he earned his medical degree from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia, with advanced training at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital in London and a research fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic.
Ryan Roberts serves as chief commercial officer at Veranex, where he leads our global commercial strategy and market expansion initiatives. With three decades of experience in sales and marketing including tenure at both large cap and venture backed firms including GE Healthcare, Astute Medical, and Edwards Lifesciences, he brings exceptional depth to the medical technology sector, particularly in product commercialization across devices, consumables, software, and services. He holds dual bachelor's degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial and Product Design from the University of Notre Dame, as well as an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
Sylvain brings over 24 years of senior financial leadership experience in both public and private organizations, with expertise in international finance operations, M&A due diligence and integration, and building high-performing finance teams. Since joining Veranex in 2023 as Corporate Controller, he has overseen accounting, tax, treasury, and compliance on a global scale. Prior to Veranex, he held leadership roles at SBM Life Science and Macquarie Group, where he was known for driving transformation and operational excellence.
Doug Dockhorn serves as chief administrative officer, bringing over 30 years of experience in building life science companies. A seasoned entrepreneur, he co-founded a successful CRO that was acquired by Carlyle and integrated into PRA Health Sciences, Inc., and later founded airPharma and co-founded Accelerated Vision Group. As vice president at PRA Health Sciences, Doug led data strategy initiatives and established the Global Process Automation Center of Excellence. His expertise includes successful management of multiple mergers, acquisitions, and integrations, with particular focus on process improvement and operational efficiency. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Personnel Administration from the University of Kansas.
Years of experience in the healthcare and life sciences sector
Managing director at Summit Partners
HEALTHCARE INNOVATOR
Managing partner with SV Life Sciences, was co-founder and president of two companies — ClinCare and PharmaStar — and served as a healthcare consultant for Accenture
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Darren’s current board directorships include InnovaCare Partners, Leon Medical Centers, LifeStance Health, Paradigm Outcomes, PharmScript, Sound Physicians, TurningPoint Healthcare Solutions, U.S. Renal Care, and VaxCare, in addition to Veranex
Education
MBA | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
20+ years as an angel and venture capital investor
Founding member of Solas BioVentures
INVESTMENT DRIVEN
He has led investments and served on the boards of Francis Medical, Biostable S&E, Arrivo Bio Ventures, NX Prenatal, Elira, InterShunt Technologies, AEGEA Medical (acquired by Cooper Surgical), Veran Medical Technologies (acquired by Olympus Corporation of America), Addrenex (acquired by Sciele/Shionogi), NeuroNex (acquired by Acorda), Velo Bio (acquired by AMAG Pharmaceuticals), Aerial Bio (acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals), NxThera (acquired by Boston Scientific), and Knopp BioSciences (asset purchase by Biohaven Pharmaceutical)
TECHNOLOGY PIONEER
He is also an inventor and prior c-suite operator of a device and pharmaceutical startup
CLINICAL LEADER
20+ years as a practicing physician and as a professor and vice chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine
Education
M.D | Joan C. Edwards College of Medicine at Marshall University
MBA | Gary W. Rollins School of Business at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Bachelor of Science in Biology | from Morehead State University
Chairman and CEO, from initial formation and sale, of Aptiv Solutions from 2009 to 2014
PRA International (now PRA Health Sciences, NASDAQ: PRAH) with three other partners, serving as CFO, COO, and CEO over the span of 14 years, taking PRA public in 2004
Integration trailblazer
Initiated and closed over 39 acquisitions and global integrations and eight separate successful exit transactions, averaging over 4x investors’ money
Education
Master of Business | Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor of Science in Business and Journalism | University of Missouri
Focused primarily on the healthcare and life sciences sector
OPPORTUNITY FINDER
Prior to Summit, Ali worked in the Healthcare Group at Thomas H. Lee Partners utilizing key competencies including strategy, data analysis and due diligence. Previously, she worked at TA Associates and BlackArch Partners
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Economics | Vanderbilt University
30+ years extensive entrepreneurial, management and investment know-how
Founder of Accelmed
INNOVATION ORIGINATOR
CEO of Exalenz Bioscience Ltd. (TASE:EXEN), developer of an innovative breath-based technology for diagnosing liver and gastrointestinal disorders which Dr. Geiger took public in 2007 and later sold to Meridian (NASDAQ: VIVO)
Co-founded and CEO of GalayOr Networks, a developer of optical components, sold in 2003 to MEMSCAP (EuroNext: MEMS)
Founding partner of Dragon Variation Fund, one of Israel’s first hedge funds, which was sold to Migdal in 2007
CAPITAL EXPERTISE
Profession on Wall Street during the 1990s, where he gained a broad understanding of capital markets and significant experience, which he put to use after returning to Israel in 1999
Former adjunct professor at the Recanati Business School at Tel Aviv University, where he lectured on private equity and venture capital
AUTHOR
Startup Companies and Venture Capital (Tel Aviv University Press, 2001) and From Concept to Wall Street (Financial Times – Prentice Hall, 2003)
COMMUNITY BUILDER
Dr. Geiger is also involved in an extensive philanthropic activity and is the Founder & Chairman of Friends of Poriya Medical Center in the US
Education
PHD in Global Equity Markets | Columbia University Center for Law & Economics
Founder of Allurion and Founding Partner at Lauxera Capital
CONSULTANT
He started his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York before moving to Boston to attend Harvard Medical School
CLINICAL TRAILBLAZER
As a second-year medical student, Samuel co-founded Allurion Technologies and built a fully-integrated, global medical device company from the idea stage to commercialization in more than 30 countries
EDUCATION
M.D. | Harvard Medical School
Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry | Yale University
30+ years as a senior executive in healthcare focused on medical device
Senior VP, Clinical Research, and CMO at Artivion (formerly CryoLife)
CLINCAL EXPERTISE
10 years at Mayo Clinic as a cardiologist and as an associate professor of Medicine
21 years at Medtronic as a CO and senior VP. President of the $1.3B pain therapies business unit, general manager of the $1.4B implantable defibrillator business, and general manager of the Japan cardiac rhythm management and external defibrillator businesses
Lead clinical research departments including $8B cardiac and vascular group
INNOVATION ENABLER
P/L management, launching new products and therapies, negotiating with FDA and CMS (Medicare), acquisition and integration of companies, and leading clinical research organizations
Board member of medical device and services companies, a hospital, and academic institutions
COMMUNITY BUILDER
In addition to mentoring many employees, he was a member of the leadership team of the Medtronic Women’s Network
EDUCATION
M.D. | Medical College of Virginia
Bachelor of Arts | University of Pennsylvania
Built to Eliminate Handoffs Across MedTech and Biopharma Industries
Veranex is the Innovation CRO that aligns the experts you need, with one accountable partner from concept to commercialization.
Outsourcing often creates fragmentation. Each handoff between product design, preclinical, clinical, regulatory, quality, and market access adds time, rework, and risk.
Veranex was built on a simple hypothesis: when these disciplines work as one connected team, programs move faster and decisions hold up under regulatory and market scrutiny. We brought together established specialist teams into an integrated platform, purpose-built for complex, highly regulated innovation.
The Innovation CRO Portfolio:
Product Design & Engineering
Regulatory & Quality Consulting
Preclinical and Pathology Services
Clinical Research and Data Management
Commercialization, Market Access, and Health Economics
Turn your Vision to Velocity with Veranex
Ready to Ignite Your Next Breakthrough? Pair your visionary science with an Innovation CRO built to deliver user and patient-centric solutions—on time, on budget, on target.
