Dr. Darren Matthews holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, where he focused on the biorelevant dissolution behaviour of amorphous solid dispersions. Over a 20 year industrial career, he has built deep expertise in formulation development, supporting programmes from discovery through to commercial drug products.

In his current role across Discovery and Non Clinical phases at Charles River Laboratories, Darren partners closely with medicinal chemistry, DMPK, biology, toxicology, and other scientific functions. His focus is on identifying developability risks early, optimising molecular and formulation attributes, and ensuring programmes are technically viable as they advance through the pipeline.

With a strong grounding in biopharmaceutics, Darren specialises in interpreting molecular properties - such as solubility, permeability, stability, and solid state characteristics - to understand their impact on in vivo performance. He applies this understanding to guide formulation strategies that enhance exposure and bioavailability, minimise development risks, and enable robust progression into non clinical studies.