Synteract, an contract research organization based in Morrisville, has brought on two new executives to enhance the company’s drug testing efforts for rare diseases.

The new executives are Lisa Dilworth, who will serve as vice president for rare and orphan diseases, and Elisabeth Schrader, who will serve as executive director of program strategy, pediatrics and rare diseases. Both will work to improve the company’s Rare and Orphan Diseases Center of Development.

Synteract specializes in diseases that affect a small portion of the population. The company has conducted 136 clinical trials on such diseases in the past five years. Of those trials, 41 percent were oncological.

Dilworth has 18 years of experience in clinical settings, the company stated. She has previously served as director of therapeutic expertise, scientific affairs and rare disease at PRA Health Sciences, which is headquartered in Raleigh.

Schrader served as an executive director at Syneos, a clinical research organization also based in Raleigh. Schrader has over 20 years of clinical research experience and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill.

“Trials in this rapidly developing area come with their own unique set of challenges” said Synteract CEO Steve Powell in a company statement. Powell said the expertise and experience of both new executives will improve the company’s ability to provide for their customer’s needs.