Welcome to another edition of PTP’s Infinite Innovation Interview Series. I’m Gary Derheim, your host for this session, where we explore a case study on designing and implementing a cloud-first IT environment for a fast-growing life sciences therapeutics company. Joining me is Bill Amsbaugh, Practice Lead for Life Sciences at PTP, who shares insights into the customer’s unique requirements and how PTP delivered a tailored, secure, and scalable solution.
Understanding the Customer’s Cloud Needs
Bill explains that the client was a startup therapeutics company committed to a cloud-first IT strategy. As an early-stage life sciences organization, they needed a flexible, compliant, and secure infrastructure to support lead discovery workflows and clinical data processing. Their operations required handling HIPAA-regulated data and meeting 21 CFR Part 11 compliance standards.
The company also worked closely with global contract research organizations (CROs), particularly across the Asia-Pacific region, which introduced complex needs around international data access and secure transmission.
AWS Control Tower: Enabling Governance and Compliance
To meet the client’s governance and compliance requirements, PTP deployed AWS Control Tower. This provided centralized management of multiple AWS accounts with consistent security policies and audit trails. For biotech startups using IT services for CROs, this approach delivers both flexibility and control across global projects.
By implementing AWS Control Tower, PTP created a well-architected foundation tailored for managed IT services for life sciences. This ensured the infrastructure was compliant, secure, and built for scale.
Handling Imaging Data from Asia-Pacific
A key challenge was the volume and sensitivity of imaging data generated by CRO partners in Asia-Pacific. PTP implemented a dedicated fiber backbone to the US East AWS region for secure transfer. Once received, the data was analyzed using EC2 instances configured with RStudio and other scientific tools.
Delivering Scientific Computing Support
PTP deployed Spotfire Server and Lead Discovery Studio to support visualization, modeling, and internal collaboration. This scientific computing IT support helped reduce turnaround time and improve drug discovery decision-making.
Extending with Azure for Traditional IT
While AWS handled cloud-native workloads, the client also required traditional IT infrastructure. PTP integrated Azure Active Directory, centralized access control, and NTFS-based file services to support secure hybrid operations.
Ongoing Support and Cloud Optimization
Through a PeakPlus™ contract, the client receives 24/7 operations support, change assistance, and proactive cloud optimization. PeakPlus™ supports biotech scalability, compliance, and research performance in one platform.
Conclusion
This case study shows how PTP’s cloud-first strategy—combining AWS, Azure, and scientific tools—enabled secure, scalable infrastructure for a growing therapeutics company.
🔎 Transcript Highlights: Life Sciences Therapeutics Case Study
- 00:00 – Welcome and session intro with Bill Amsbaugh
- 00:42 – Designing cloud-first infrastructure for biotech startups
- 01:15 – AWS Control Tower and compliance with HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11
- 02:05 – Securing and analyzing imaging data from Asia-Pacific CROs
- 03:00 – Spotfire and Lead Discovery Studio for scientific computing
- 03:45 – Azure integration for traditional IT needs
- 04:30 – How PeakPlus™ supports ongoing optimization and compliance