Slope Appoints Mark Melton as VP of Scientific Operations and Development

Founder of ClearPath Biomarker Ops joins Slope leadership team to expand the company's offerings to include biomarker operations and data management services

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Slope, a global clinical trial technology company that specializes in complex, sample-intensive clinical trials, announced today that Mark Melton has joined the team as VP of Scientific Operations and Development. This leadership team expansion expedites Slope's delivery of a single complete solution for clinical trial execution from study start-up to study close, combining software with consultative services and support.

Melton brings deep scientific expertise having held leadership positions at Covance, Precision for Medicine, and Seagen, and most recently, as Founder and President of ClearPath Biomarker Ops, a consulting firm focused on optimizing biomarker operations and data management.

"Our goal is to provide a single, holistic clinical trial execution solution to the market," says Rust Felix, CEO at Slope. "Mark's addition will help us support critical study planning and operational decisions for our customers, while also improving the accuracy and efficiency of biomarker data collection and analysis, as well as sample reconciliation. This combined solution positions Slope as a valued partner throughout the entire study lifecycle."

In this role, Melton will build out Slope's consulting services specifically around study startup, biospecimen operations, data management, and study closeout. Additionally, Melton will leverage his scientific expertise to support Slope's initiatives to tech-enable and automate many of these services, as well as lead efforts to grow relationships with global laboratories, and other third-party providers.

"I am excited to join Slope, and what this combined offering will mean for the industry," says Mark Melton, VP of Scientific Operations and Development at Slope. "I've dedicated my career to unifying biomarker scientific designs to the reality of running global trials. There hasn't been a solution to address the complex challenges across site, central, and third-party testing lab data and operations until now. I look forward to helping build on the company's momentum and provide sponsors with a holistic view of their biomarker and bioanalytical sample lifecycle and vendor operations." 

"Mark is passionate about helping Slope streamline clinical research to help patients," says Hope Meely, Chief Clinical Officer at Slope. "We are excited to have him join the team to challenge the status quo, help sponsors navigate the complexities of sample management, and create market solutions that are both site and patient-focused."

This expansion in leadership and services aims to help Slope customers reduce sample collection, shipment, and processing issues, as well as site and vendor queries. The result is a more streamlined sample lifecycle, leading to higher quality biomarker and bioanalytical data, and preventing unnecessary study and regulatory submission delays.

For more information, visit slopeclinical.com

About Mark Melton:
Mark Melton's career in the research and clinical trial industry has spanned 13 years. He started off as a biochemist and molecular biologist in academia. Utilizing his scientific training, he entered the clinical research space focusing on precision medicine based clinical trials, specifically expanding his skillset and becoming a subject matter expert on biomarkers and bioanalytical operations, data management, biospecimen tracking, and vendor oversight. He has experience in many therapeutic areas including oncology, rare diseases, central nervous system, and endocrinology. Melton has a long history of building teams and processes from the ground up and leading large global operation and data management teams.

About Slope:
Slope's clinical trial execution platform transforms site operations by digitizing lab manuals and creating guided, study-specific workflows for inventory — ranging from lab kits to devices and IP — and sample management. The entire sample journey from kitting to its final destination at a biorepository is visible to sponsors in real-time, enabling them to have oversight into all clinical trial activities. By integrating with the right partners and data systems, including EDC, RTSM, LIMS, labs, kitters, and shippers, Slope ensures seamless data flow and trial execution for all stakeholders, alleviating the burden from sponsors to connect the dots during reconciliation or track down samples. Slope brings order and efficiency to clinical trials while providing real-time access to all study details so sponsors can unlock actionable data insights, and make critical study decisions. For more information, visit slopeclinical.com.

SOURCE Slope