编者按：“让天下没有难做的药，难治的病”，是初心，更是愿景。自成立以来，药明康德步履不停：从一间实验室，到覆盖亚洲、欧洲和北美的全球网络。从早期的化学合成服务，到贯穿研究（R）、开发（D）和生产（M）的一体化平台。从第一位客户，到全球三十多个国家的数千合作伙伴。不断发展的，是规模与能力；始终坚守的，是梦想与承诺。
致敬来时路，共谱新篇章！在这一系列访谈中，我们以“逐梦者”视角，回顾药明康德成长发展的峥嵘岁月，回望赋能客户创新的并肩往事，更以独特的“药明精神”展望未来新篇章。
在Bill Harrison的眼中，人生的轨迹，从来不是一条预设好的直线。
他与伏特加酒的交集，源于一次偶然的凝视——在超市货架前，他盯着那一排排伏特加酒，心中突然冒出一个灵感：为什么酒瓶一定要像货架上那些千篇一律的透明或磨砂设计？
“我当时就想，为什么不试试黑色呢？”他微笑着回忆道。
这个看似微小的创意火花，最终演变为一次完整的创业实践——从学习酿造工艺到严控品质，再到将构想真正落地，他亲历了每一个环节。
“做伏特加和做毒理研究，本质上惊人地相似，”他说，“核心只有一个：质量。你必须不断测试、持续优化，确保每一次输出都精准如一。”
也正是这种对卓越品质的执着，塑造了Bill Harrison的职业信念。从加入药明康德的第一天起，他就被这支年轻而高效、追求卓越的团队深深吸引。“第一天我就知道，我做出了正确的选择，”他回忆道，“这是一家一体化的研发服务平台，汇聚了众多聪明优秀的人才，他们专注于‘做对的事’。”
如今作为药明康德临床前服务副总裁，他的领导哲学始终如一：以好奇心驱动改进，以改进赢得信任。
信任，源自长久的信赖
药物发现常因突破性进展登上头条，但真正守护这些创新成果安全性的幕后功臣，是严谨而可靠的临床前安全评价。
“临床前评价是新药开发非常重要的一环，”Harrison说道，“比如，在临床前阶段，毒理学就是评估药物安全性的科学，证明一种新化合物不会致癌、不引发心脏毒性或生殖毒性——这是保护患者的第一道防线。”
图片来源：123RF
在药明康德，这项工作架起了化学与临床之间的关键桥梁。任何新分子在进入人体试验前，都必须经过一系列严格的临床前安全评估，涵盖毒理学、安全药理学以及长期毒性研究等多个维度，并全面评估其对各器官系统的潜在影响。
“我们是候选药物进入临床前的‘最终把关者’，”Harrison解释道，“我们的数据为客户的研发决策和监管申报提供关键支持，决定一款药物能否迈向下一阶段。”
一直以来，药明康德的毒理学团队是全球客户值得信赖的合作伙伴。每一项研究均严格遵循美国FDA制定的良好实验室规范（GLP）标准。“质量与合规是我们不可妥协的底线，”他强调，“我们的FDA审计记录就是最好的证明：迄今为止，从未有任何一项研究被驳回。”
然而，真正让团队脱颖而出的，是卓越的灵活性与响应速度。“如果客户需要在两周内启动一项研究，我们会排除万难、全力以赴，”他说，“调整排期、重新调配资源，确保按时交付。正是这种敏捷性，让客户始终选择我们。”
尽管这项工作高度专业化，其核心却始终围绕“信任”展开。“这是一个建立在信任基础上的行业，”Harrison说，“客户将他们最宝贵的科学成果托付给我们。而这份信任，需要每一天用专业、可靠和责任感去赢得。”
速度，源自高效的协同
在药明康德高效可靠声誉的背后，并非偶然的运气，而是一套由顶尖人才与前沿流程深度咬合的精密“引擎”——它不只驱动项目前进，更重新定义了行业能跑多快。
在Harrison所在的测试事业部中，下游的毒理学团队会与上游药物代谢与动力学（DMPK）团队紧密协同，而支撑这种高效协作的，是一个先进的数字化排期平台。过去，调整一项研究计划可能需要数小时人工协调、反复确认；如今，系统在几秒内即可完成全局重排，精准匹配资源、时间与优先级。“这不只是提速，这是范式的转变。”Harrison说。
“去年在一次客户会议上，我展示了这个系统。会后一位其他公司的高管走过来对我说：‘你们远远领先于行业标准。’”Harrison回忆道。“我相信这一点。”
图片来源：123RF
这套数字化系统已实现跨地域、跨职能的无缝协同。从苏州到美国，从样品入库到研究主管调度，再到支持全球监管申报，每一个环节都被清晰串联。而真正让系统“活起来”的，是背后每个人对全局的理解。通过高频沟通与跨职能培训，每一位科学家都清楚地知道：自己手中的样本，连接着哪位患者的希望；自己的数据，将支撑哪个关键决策。“我们不是在执行任务，而是在拼一幅巨大的图景，”Harrison说，“当每个人都看得见蓝图，自然步调一致，高效前行。”
但再智能的系统，也无法替代人的信念。真正的“药明速度”，源于一支敢于应变、主动协作、并勇于突破边界的团队，这才是核心所在。“我们曾应客户紧急需求，暂停一项研究一天，两天后又迅速重启，”他说道，“我们的信念很明确：没有我们做不到的事。”
正是这种执行力与创造力并重的文化，构成了Harrison口中“药明速度”的力量。它让复杂变得清晰，让挑战化为机遇，持续推动全球创新药物安全、高效、自信地迈向下一个开发阶段。
改进，从每一步中学习
对Harrison而言，卓越从不是一个可以盖章封存的终点，而是一段永不停歇的精进之旅。“每一项研究都在教我们新东西，”他说，“我们始终在追问：如何在不牺牲质量的前提下，做得更快、更聪明、更高效？”
这种思维的种子，早在他职业生涯初期便已埋下。那时，他投身于质量保证工作，在严格的法规框架中，第一次体会到专业判断与持续创新之间的微妙平衡。“GLP标准里常出现‘足够’‘适当’‘充分’这样的词，”他解释道，“它们不是非黑即白的冰冷条文，而是留有空间的艺术——需要经验去解读，靠纪律去执行，用好奇心去突破，以找到更好的方式。”
在药明康德，这种理念早已融入日常。Harrison带领团队反复审视研究设计、数据流程和数字系统，寻找那些看似微小却可累积的优化点：缩短几天周转时间、减少一次重复操作、简化一页报告模板，帮助客户加速研发进程。
“有时候，只是重新排序一个流程步骤，”他说，“但这样的改变，可能为客户争取到关键的几天时间。几天时间，就能决定一款药能否率先救人。”
而持续改进，不止于流程，更是一种深层的自我对话。在苏州的日子里，Harrison养成了一个特别的习惯：每当面对复杂决策或思绪纷扰，他便会独自出发，绕着金鸡湖走完整整20公里，三小时步行，无会议、无邮件、无干扰，只有脚步与思想同行。
“散步是我最高效的思考方式，”他笑着说，“就像给大脑按下重启键。当你从嘈杂中抽离，问题反而变得清晰。你会开始问：我们真的在解决对的问题吗？有没有更好的路径？然后，带着新的视角，做出更有意义的执行。”
图片来源：123RF
正因如此，他从不把新项目视为单纯的交付，而是一次系统进化的契机。“我们不只是完成研究，更是在打磨这台‘机器’——让它每一次运行都比上一次更稳、更快、更智能。”
“持续改进，是日复一日的选择，是我们对客户的承诺，也是我们对自己专业的敬畏。”
未来，有无限可能
“真正的创新，始于一个‘为什么’；而真正的信任，来自你愿意为‘更好’多走一步。”在他看来，无论是改变一瓶酒的设计，还是加速一款新药的研发进程，驱动变革的，永远是那些敢于发问、并愿意把答案做到极致的人。
在药明康德的舞台上，Harrison的目光已投向遥远的未来。
在他看来，未来的药物研发，必须让安全与速度并肩而驰。“我们不会再在二者之间做选择，”他说，“我们要的是：又快，又稳。”
他坚信，创新将继续重塑毒理学的边界，而药明康德的一体化模式，也更加契合未来发展的节奏。“这不仅仅是服务链条的整合，”他强调，“这是一种思维的升级——当安全性与一体化高效整合，新药的开发路径将更清晰、更高效。”
而在这趟高速列车上，每一位员工都是关键的驱动者。“对我们的团队，我想说：系好安全带，”他充满信心地说，“因为药明康德的速度只会越来越快。我们正在树立标准，未来将是行业发展的快车道。”
这份信念的背后，是一种近乎本能的使命感。每当他在园区走过，看到实验室灯火通明，看到年轻科学家专注地分析数据，他总会想起那句深入人心的愿景：“让天下没有难做的药，难治的病！”
“这不是一句口号，”他说，“这是我们的承诺。而我始终相信——未来，有无限的可能。”
Building WuXi AppTec’s Toxicology Business Around Trust and Flexibility
Editor’s Note: “Every drug can be made and every disease can be treated”.Since 2000,from a single laboratory to a global network spanning Asia, Europe, and North America; from early chemical synthesis services to an integrated platform that connects Research (R), Development (D), and Manufacturing (M); from its very first customer to thousands of partners across more than 30 countries, WuXi AppTec has never stopped moving forward to realize its enduring vision.
In tribute to the journey and in celebration of new beginnings, we look back through the eyes of our “dream-makers”: revisiting the stories of partnership that empowered global innovation, and the unique spirit that continues to guide us toward the next chapter.
Bill Harrison never set out to make vodka. He just wanted to design a bottle that didn’t look like every other one on the shelf.
“I was staring at a row of clear, frosted bottles and thought: why not a black one?” he recalls with a grin.
That small question turned into a full-fledged business venture: learning manufacturing, quality control, and the challenges of bringing an idea to life.“Whether it’s vodka or toxicology, quality is quality,” he says. “You test, refine, and make sure it’s right every time.”
That same mindset defines Harrison’s work today as Vice President of preclinical services at WuXi AppTec. From his very first day at WuXi AppTec, Harrison saw a young, energized team operating with precision. “Day one, I knew I’d made the right decision,” he recalls. “It was a turnkey operation, full of smart people who cared about doing things right.”
His leadership philosophy has remained the same ever since:curiosity fuels improvement, and improvement builds trust.
The Science of Safety
Drug discovery often captures headlines for breakthrough discoveries, but toxicology is the steady science that ensures those discoveries are safe for patients. “To oversimplify it,” Harrison says, “toxicology is drug safety testing. Our job is to prove that a new compound won’t cause cancer, heart issues, or reproductive problems. It’s how we protect patients.”
Image Source：123RF
At WuXi AppTec, this work bridges chemistry and clinical science. Before any new molecule can move into human trials, it must undergo a series of preclinical safety studies, ranging from toxicology and safety pharmacology to long-term studies. These studies assess how a compound behaves in the body, how it’s metabolized, and what effects it may have on different organs. “We’re the final checkpoint,” Harrison explains. “Our data helps clients and regulators decide if a drug is ready to move forward.”
Under his leadership, WuXi AppTec’s toxicology business has become a trusted partner to hundreds of small and midsize biotechnology companies worldwide. Every study meets the rigorous Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards established by the U.S. FDA.“Quality and compliance are number one,” Harrison says. “Our FDA track record shows that: no rejections, ever.”
But what truly defines his team, he adds, is flexibility and responsiveness. “If a client needs to start a study in two weeks, we move mountains to make it happen,” he says. “We adjust schedules, reassign staff, and still deliver on time. That agility is what keeps clients coming back.”
The work may be technical, but at its core, it’s about relationships. “This is a trust business,” he says. “Clients rely on us with their science, and that trust has to be earned every day.”
Powered by People and Process
Behind WuXi AppTec’s reputation for speed and reliability lies an intricate system powered by people and process. Harrison’s toxicology team works closely with upstream drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) groups, supported by an advanced digital scheduling platform that can reassign studies in seconds – a leap forward from the manual systems he once used.
“When I showed it at a customer meeting last year, one of the executives came up afterward and said, ‘You’re way ahead of the industry standard,’” Harrison recalls. “And I believe it.”
Image Source：123RF
This digital backbone allows teams across multiple sites to work seamlessly. Whether it’s managing test articles, coordinating study directors, or supporting international regulatory submissions, the platform keeps everything connected. Frequent communication and cross-functional training ensure that scientists at every level understand how their work contributes to the broader system.“Everyone knows the bigger picture,” Harrison says. “That’s what keeps us aligned and moving fast.”
But tools are only as strong as the people behind them – teams willing to adapt, collaborate, and push boundaries. “We’ve stopped studies one day and restarted them two days later at a client’s request,” Harrison says. “Our mindset is simple: there’s nothing we can’t do.”
That spirit – equal parts discipline and creativity – is what Harrison calls “the power of WuXi speed.” It’s how WuXi AppTec turns complexity into clarity and brings global programs safely, efficiently, and confidently to the next stage of development.
Continuous Improvement: Learning from Every Step
For Harrison, excellence isn’t the finish line; it’s a process of constant refinement. “Every study teaches us something new,” he says. “We’re always asking how we can do it better, faster, and more efficiently without ever compromising quality.”
That mindset is rooted in his early career in Quality Assurance, where he learned that regulations leave room for professional judgment and continuous innovation. “GLP standards use words like adequate, appropriate, or sufficient,” he explains. “They’re not black and white. You need experience to interpret them and the discipline and curiosity to do what’s right to make it better.”
At WuXi AppTec, that philosophy translates into everyday action. Harrison’s teams review study designs, results, and digital processes to identify small efficiencies that compound over time—cutting turnaround times, reducing redundancy, and streamlining reporting. “Sometimes it’s about rethinking a workflow or reordering steps,” he says. “Small refinements can add up to days saved for our clients.”
Continuous improvement is also a mindset of reflection. When in Suzhou, Harrison often walks a 20-kilometer loop around a lake – three quiet hours to think, recalibrate, and plan. “Walking clears my head,” he says. “It helps me see things from a different angle. That’s what improvement is about, taking time to think, then acting with purpose.”
Image Source：123RF
By cultivating that rhythm of reflection and refinement, every new study, he adds, is another opportunity to refine systems, shorten timelines, and build confidence.“Continuous improvement is how we keep our promise to clients,” he says. “And it’s how we keep getting better.”
The Future of Toxicology
Looking ahead,Harrison sees a future where safety and speed must advance together, and he’s confident innovation will continue to reshape the field.
And through it all, his conviction remains firm: WuXi AppTec’s integrated model will keep setting the pace. “For our employees,” he says, “buckle your seatbelts – WuXi AppTec’s speed is only accelerating; we’re setting the standard, and the future will move even faster.”
For Harrison, that pace – and the purpose behind it – keeps him inspired. “Every drug can be made, and every disease can be treated,” he says. “And there’s nothing our team can’t do.”
免责声明：本文 仅作信息交流之目的，文中观点不代表药明康德立场，亦不代表药明康德支持或反对文中观点。本文也不是治疗方案推荐。如需获得治疗 方案指导，请前往正规医院就诊。
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