A reshuffle at PhRMA and manoeuvring of directors at OSI Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec – People on the move
George Whitney has been appointed as director of business development for bulk pharmaceutical products at Kyowa Hakko USA. Whitney has more than 25 years experience in biotech, most recently at Lonza’s custom manufacturing group.
Astellas Pharma has changed two of the nominees it plans to put up for election to the board of OSI Pharmaceuticals. John Gilly, a director at NCI-Frederick, and Margaret Monaco, the principal of Probus Advisors, are now Astellas’ nominees.
Jeffrey Kindler, CEO of Pfizer, has been elected as board chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Kindler succeeds David Brennan, CEO of AstraZeneca.
Also, Christopher Viehbacher, CEO of Sanofi-Aventis, was named as chairman-elect and John Lechleiter, CEO of Eli Lilly, was appointed as board treasurer.
Rib-X Pharmaceuticals has named Mark Leuchtenberger as president and CEO. Leuchtenberger has previously worked at Targanta Therapeutics, Therion Biologics and Biogen. Susan Froshauer has also joined Rib-X as chief scientific officer.
Eric Rowinsky has been appointed to the board of directors at Biogen Idec after the biotech reached an agreement with investor Carl Icahn. Stephen Sherwin, chairman of the Biotechnology Industry Association (BIO), has also joined the board of directors.
PhytoMedical Technologies has named James Lynch as president and CEO. Greg Wujek, the outgoing president and CEO, will continue as a director on the company’s board.
