July saw changes to many executive boards as industry sought expertise to provide insight and guidance.
A data analytics and artificial intelligence expert signed on to head GSK’s machine learning initiative, while experienced members of the industry took a step back and retired. Regulatory positions both look to government officials to lead the way.
July saw changes to many executive boards as industry sought expertise to provide insight and guidance.
A data analytics and artificial intelligence expert signed on to head GSK’s machine learning initiative, while experienced members of the industry took a step back and retired. Regulatory positions both look to government officials to lead the way.
Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline hired Kim Branson as the company’s new SVP and global head of artificial intelligence and machine learning. In this position, Branson will oversee the use of AI for target identification.
Branson has worked in the biotech industry for more than 15 years, before this appointment at GSK, he was the head of AI at Genentech, and the chief data scientist at the health analytics company, Lumiata.
He will not be alone as a Genentech alum at GSK. The company hired Hal Barron, previously chief medical officer and EVP at Genentech in 2018. Kevin Sin, head of business development, and Shobie Ramakrishnan, SVP of Pharma IT, are also former Genentech employees.
Jeffery Leiden, Vertex Pharmaceuticals current chairman, president, and CEO will transition into the role of executive chairman of the board in 2020.
The US-based biopharmaceutical company focused on drug design expects this move to occur in April 2020 as the company’s CMO Reshma Kewalramni will take over as President and CEO.
Leiden has sat on the board of directors for 10 years and has served as chairman and CEO since 2012. Bruce Sachs, lead independent director of Vertex’s board, said in regards to the move, “Jeff’s leadership has transformed Vertex and delivered extraordinary value for patients and shareholders through the discovery, development and commercialization of multiple transformative medicines.”
Previous to this role, Leiden worked as president and COO, CSO at Abbott Labs, and managing director at Clarus Funds.
Kewalramani has been with Vertex since 2017, after leaving Amgen where she was the VP and head of US medical organization. Leiden said, “Having worked closely with Reshma for the last several years, I know that she is tremendously talented, extremely passionate about our patient-centric mission, and fully prepared to lead Vertex as we enter our next phase as a company.”
Mike Thompson the chief executive of the Association of The British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) announced that he will be retiring at the end of 2019.
ABPI represents pharmaceutical companies that supply more than 80% of all branded medicines used by the National Health Service, and organizations currently developing and researching current medicines pipelines.
“This has been an extraordinary period to have had led the ABPI. Whilst the media has focused on the challenges the country has faced, we can be proud of how we’ve used the dynamic to bring about positive change,” Thompson said.
He added that he made the announcement at this time to enable an open and timely process to find his successor.
The International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities elected the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) executive director Guido Rasi as its new chair.
“When development, manufacture and distribution of medicines is global, we regulators must work together globally to prepare for new medicines and technologies and improve global oversight of the safety and quality of medicines. We owe this to patients around the world,” Rasi said.
The agency is a voluntary, executive-level, strategic coordinating, advocacy and leadership entity of regulatory authorities designed to address the current and emerging global regulatory and safety challenges.
Vivera Pharmaceuticals focused on non-addictive pain management solutions appoints former mayor of Coachella, CA, Greg Cervantes to be director of government affairs.
Cervantes has worked in US government affairs and business development serving in federal, state, tribal and county governments. In addition to his mayoral role, he has served as a deputy director for the US congress.
His work in tribal government played a role in his appointed, as he served as the executive director of government affairs for the Cabazon Band of Missions Indians.
Cervantes said, “I’ve worked with tribes nationally for a number of years. Of communities affected the hardest by the opiate and alcohol crisis, Native Americans and Alaskan natives have been hit the hardest. I hope to utilize my experience to help Vivera have a positive impact with the tribal communities that so desperately need help fighting the opioid crisis.”
The life sciences company focused on drug delivery technology for oncology treatments appointed two new members to its board of directors.
Diane Parks will join the board and bring her 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry with her. Parks has held executive roles at Pharamcyclics, Amgen, and Genentech. Most recently she served as the SVP of marketing at Kite Pharma and was credited with leading the launch of the second-ever approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, Yescarta.
Yongxin Han, co-founder and general manager of Chemizon and Centaurus BioPharma, will also join the board of directors. In his 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, he has worked on more than 14 investigational new drug applications for oncology treatments.
Mats Wahlström, TriSalus chairman, said, “We’re honored to add the depth of experience in oncology and drug delivery technology with the appointment of Diane and Yongxin.”
The clinical-stage company focused on developing therapies for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease has appointed Mark Litton to COO.
Litton, co-founder of Alder Biopharmaceuticals where he served as chief business officer and treasurer for 14 years, will take on the role at Athira with experience in the life sciences industry.
Before his time at Adler, Litton worked as VP of business development at Celltech Group and VP of business development at Chiroscience Group.
Leen Kawas, president and CEO of Athria said, “Mark’s experience will be key during this transformative stage of the company.”
Litton also commented, “I’m delighted to be joining Leen and Athira’s dedicated team focused on a first-in-class approach that may bring hope to those touched by Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.”
The specialty chemical and ingredients supplier for the pharmaceutical industry, and subsidiary of LeBaronBrown Industries, LBB Specialties appointed Hank DeWolf to the company’s Advisory Board.
DeWolf has established three technical specialty supplier companies, DeWolf Chemical, Glenn Corporation, and Tempo Canada. He sold the companies to KODA Distribution Group, a private equity firm, in 2014 and then served as President of the Life Science business vertical of the firm.
