Darrel J. "DJ" Rezac, Ph.D.
Latham BioPharm Group Inc. (LBG)
Darrel J. "DJ" Rezac, Ph.D., is the managing director at LBG. Rezac provides subject matter and technical expertise, strategic consulting and business and regulatory team support to a broad portfolio of sponsors, contract research organizations and academic institutions, as well as federal, state and local government agencies. He brings a diverse range of experience along the pathway to approval, including in-depth knowledge of exploratory and pivotal study design, execution and management, with a keen aptitude and unique skill set for supporting programs for defense medical countermeasures, bio and agro-defense, nonclinical safety and efficacy and complete regulatory path for veterinary pharmaceuticals and biologics. Rezac has provided key development support and technical subject matter expertise to multiple COVID-19 medical countermeasure programs, including now clinical stage vaccine and antibody candidates.
Prior to his current role, Rezac held several positions within a contract research organization, serving as a principal scientist (clinical investigator/study director), director of business development and director of business operations, supporting and administrating all facets of operations for a GLP-compliant, high-containment contract research facility and business program. Rezac guided clients in both pivotal and non-pivotal research, enabling the licensure of vaccines, antimicrobials and insecticides/parasiticides, with key expertise in disease modeling and study design, including adherence to GLP (21 CFR Part 58) and GCP (VICH GL9) compliance. His direct research and/or programmatic leadership resulted in more than 30 successful regulatory submissions. He has supported the nonclinical development of numerous federally and privately funded medical countermeasure programs against a wide array of agents and pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, Burkholderia, Anthrax, EEEV/VEEV/WEEV, San Joaquin Valley Fever, Influenza, Botulism, E. coli O157:H7, Shigella spp. and Cryptosporidium Parvum, with contemporary experience on the development of biopharmaceutical blood component substitutes.
Rezac is an officer in the United States Army Reserve Medical Service Corps (microbiologist), the past chair of the board of directors of BioKansas and held an appointment as an adjunct faculty member in the department of diagnostic medicine/pathobiology at Kansas State University. He has authored 24 peer-reviewed journal articles or abstracts and routinely delivers invited lectures, media interviews and presentations to key industry decision-makers, where he is known as a dynamic and energetic communicator and strong leader.
Rezac holds a Ph.D. in Pathobiology, a M.S. in Metabolism/Nutritional Physiology and a B.S. in Animal Science and Industry from Kansas State University.