Pharma Pool Albert BOURLA Susan SILBERMANN Pfizer Makes Executive Moves Pfizer has named Albert Bourla as group president of the vaccines, oncology, and consumer healthcare business. Mr. Bourla has 20 years of experience at Pfizer and has held senior global positions across a range of markets and disciplines within the company. Susan Silbermann has been named president and general manager, global vaccines business. For the past year and a half she has led the vaccines portfolio within the specialty care business. Adele GULPHO Mylan Appoints Executive VP, Global Collaboration and Strategic Operations Mylan has appointed Adele Gulfo as executive VP, global collaboration and strategic operations. Ms. Gulfo also serves as a member of Mylan’s executive leadership team. Before joining Mylan, Ms. Gulfo served as regional president of Latin America in Pfizer’s emerging markets business unit. In this capacity, she led a team of more than 4,000 colleagues operating across more than 23 countries. Biotech Pool Dr. Lode DEBRABANDERE Osiris Therapeutics Names President and CEO Osiris Therapeutics, a stem cell company focused on developing and marketing products to treat conditions in wound care, orthopedic, and sports medicine markets has named Lode Debrabandere, Ph.D., as president and CEO. In addition, he was elected to the company’s board. Dr. Debrabandere has more than 20 years of experience leading R&D, sales, and marketing activities in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In 2006, he joined Osiris as VP and general manager of the therapeutics business unit. In 2012, he was promoted to chief operating officer and assumed responsibility for all commercial activities of the company. Carol GREVE-PHILIPS Joseph LA BARGE Spark Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team Spark Therapeutics, a late-stage, fully integrated company developing gene-based medicines for a wide range of debilitating diseases, announced today that it has expanded its leadership team through the addition of two industry veterans, Carol Greve-Philips and Joseph La Barge, who have extensive track records successfully growing biotech businesses. Carol Greve-Philips has joined Spark Therapeutics as senior VP of business development and strategy. She comes to Spark with extensive experience building, developing, and restructuring businesses focused on genetics, genomics and genetic testing. Most recently she served as the chief business officer at Pronota NV, a diagnostics company focused on early detection of heart failure, pre-eclampsia and sepsis. Joseph La Barge has joined the company as senior VP of business administration and general counsel. He most recently served as the VP, general counsel and chief compliance officer for Tengion, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, where he had responsibility for legal affairs, compliance, and quality assurance. Dr. Art KRIEG Sarepta Therapeutics Names Chief Scientific Officer Sarepta Therapeutics, a developer of innovative RNA-based therapeutics, has named Arthur “Art" Krieg, M.D., senior VP and chief scientific officer. In this role, Dr. Krieg is responsible for leading the company’s drug discovery and early-stage research activities. Dr. Krieg joins Sarepta from RaNA Therapeutics, where he served as CEO since he co-founded the company in 2011. Ralph MAKAR Azure Biotech Hires CEO Azure Biotech, a newly formed biotech company, has named Ralph Makar as CEO. In his new position, Mr. Makar is responsible for raising investment capital, providing strategic leadership, and overseeing operations for the company. Mr. Makar brings executive level experience to the company, having previously served as president and CEO of Bioject Medical Technology. Dr. Rizwana SPROULE Kite Pharma Appoints VP, Regulatory Affairs Kite Pharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing engineered autologous T-cell therapy products for cancer, has appointed Rizwana Sproule, Ph.D., to the newly created position of VP, regulatory affairs. Before joining Kite, Dr. Sproule held senior positions at Amgen, including executive director, therapeutic area head for oncology global regulatory affairs. Biopharmaceutical Pool Dr. Alessandra CESANO Cleave Biosciences Names Chief Medical Officer Alessandra Cesano, M.D., Ph.D., has joined Cleave Biosciences as chief medical officer. Dr. Cesano is a board certified medical oncologist and holds a Ph.D. in tumor immunology. Before joining Cleave, Dr. Cesano held the position of chief operating officer and chief medical officer at Nodality, where she led clinical and regulatory strategies to advance the company’s technology in patient selection for hematological malignancies. Dr. Shanta CHAWLA CytRx Appoints VP, Clinical Development CytRx, a biophamaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology, has appointed Shanta Chawla, M.D., as VP, clinical development. She will play a key role in managing the upcoming global Phase III clinical trial with aldoxorubicin as a second-line treatment for soft tissue sarcomas. Most recently, Dr. Chawla was VP, clinical research and development, at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. Agency Pool German DZIEBEL GSW Appoints New Strategy Practice Lead GSW, an inVentiv Health company and healthcare advertising agency, has appointed German Dziebel as executive VP, director of strategy for the Columbus, Ohio, office. In this role, Mr. Dziebel will apply his expertise as an anthropologist and expert in human behavior, culture, and brand strategy to design custom marketing solutions for new and existing clients. He is charged with directing the expansion of GSW’s “Speak People" philosophy, the agency’s proprietary approach to enriching the conversation between people and healthcare. Andy WILLMER Ogilvy CommonHealth Medical Marketing Welcomes Executive VP, Director Of Client Services Ogilvy CommonHealth Medical Marketing has named Andy Willmer as executive VP, director of client services. Mr. Willmer is responsible for developing and maintaining the group’s ongoing client activities, relationships, and services. Additionally, he is charged with developing account team personnel and lead strategic and tactical planning initiatives. Most recently, he served as senior VP, director of client services, at Havas Health network’s Health4Brands Catapult communications company. Consulting Pool John CELENTANO Mitchell COHEN Kimberly RAMKO EY Global Life Sciences Center Makes Several Appointments EY’s Global Life Sciences Center has named John Celentano a senior advisor. In his new position, Mr. Celentano will draw on his broad industry experience to advise EY member firm clients and sector teams on a variety of strategic and transformational business issues. Mitchell Cohen has been named global life sciences tax services leader. Mr. Cohen’s extensive experience serving life-sciences companies includes corporate and partnership taxation, transaction tax strategy and planning, tax risk and compliance and research tax credits, as well as the tax processes, systems and accounting methods specific to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. Kimberly Ramko has been appointed global life science advisory services leader. In this role Ms. Ramko focuses on service innovation, alliance management, and helping to implement large, complex business transformations. She continues in her role as EY Americas advisory life sciences industry sector leader. CRO Pool Dr. Steve CUTLER Jim MISKEL Nuala MURPHY ICON Appoints Chief Operating Officer ICON, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, has appointed Dr. Steve Cutler to the newly created position of chief operating officer. Dr. Cutler joined ICON in November 2011 as group president, clinical research services. In his new role as chief operating officer, Dr. Cutler has responsibility for all of ICON’s operational units, covering early phase, clinical, laboratories, commercialization, and outcomes and DOCS FSP and resourcing. Dr Cutler is also taking responsibility for ICON’s sales and marketing and strategic alliance teams. Within Dr. Cutler’s team, Jim Miskel has been appointed executive VP and general manager, ICON Laboratory Services, and Dr. Nuala Murphy has been appointed president, ICON Clinical Services. Service Pool Beth ANDERSON Rich DUDEK Joe FALCON Deb LEE Sue LIPINSKI Don PARAS Dr. Gayle SHAW-HONES Rich WAITE TGaS Advisors Announces New Hire, Seven Promotions TGaS Advisors, a benchmarking and advisory services firm for pharmaceutical commercial operations and a division of KnowledgePoint360, has announced a new addition to the digital and relationship marketing team and seven promotions. Beth Anderson was named executive director, sales operations practice. Ms. Anderson manages benchmarks, Voice of Customer surveys, custom projects, and advisory services. Before coming to TGaS, she had extensive experience in pharmaceutical sales operations, including sales planning and insights. Rich Dudek, a member of the TGaS leadership team, was promoted to senior VP with responsibility for the recently introduced marketing advisory practice (MAP). Mr. Dudek held senior positions in marketing, sales, and managed care at large, mid-tier, and specialty companies before coming to TGaS last year. Joe Falcon, also a member of the leadership team, was named senior VP, managed markets practice. Mr. Falcon, who came to TGaS in 2010, oversees a broad range of managed markets practices, including account management, managed care marketing, contract management, and health economics and outcomes research (HEOR). Deb Lee was named executive director, sales operations practice. Ms. Lee joined TGaS in 2011, and has focused on sales and sales operations throughout her 20-plus years in the pharmaceutical industry. Sue Lipinski has joined the digital and relationship marketing team as director, management advisor. Experienced in pharmaceutical, digital, and Internet marketing, Ms. Lipinski most recently led a portfolio of business at the health and wellness arm of Razorfish, a global digital agency. Don Paras has been promoted to VP, marketing operations. A TGaS veteran, Mr. Paras leads all aspects of the medical/regulatory/legal promotional review process, management strategy, and promotional material, agency, speaker programs, and meetings and convention management. Gayle Shaw-Hones, Ph.D., and Rich Waite, M.Ed., have been appointed executive directors, training and development. Dr. Shaw-Hones, who joined TGaS in 2011, and Mr. Waite, who came on board in 2012, manage multiple pharmaceutical accounts, advising sales training, and management development executives. Send your personnel announcements and photos to [email protected]. Pharma Pool Dr. David BERGSTROM Antares Pharma Appoints Senior VP Pharmaceutical Development Antares Pharma has appointed David Bergstrom, Ph.D., to the position of senior VP of pharmaceutical development. Dr. Bergstrom is an experienced, operations focused executive with a leadership background in large, small and semi-virtual pharmaceutical companies as well as in the contract product development and manufacturing industry. Dr. Bergstrom comes to Antares Pharma from Advantar Laboratories, where he was the executive VP and chief operating officer. Biotech Pool Dr. James BENDER Lion Biotechnologies Appoints VP, Product Development and Manufacturing Lion Biotechnologies has appointed James Bender, Ph.D., as VP, product development and manufacturing. Lion Biotechnologies is engaged in the development of T-cells and engineered T-cells for the treatment of various cancers. Dr. Bender has more than 25 years of clinical development experience, primarily focused on cancer therapies, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and most recently was VP of product development and manufacturing with ImmunoCellular Therapeutics. Dr. Gregory BERK Sideris Pharmaceuticals Appoints President and Chief Medical Officer Sideris Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company developing therapeutics for the treatment of transfusional iron overload diseases, appointed Gregory Berk, M.D., as president and chief medical officer. Before joining Sideris, Dr. Berk was chief medical officer at BIND Therapeutics, where he led the clinical development of its oncology focused programs. Dr. Christopher DINSMORE Forma Therapeutics Appoints VP, Medicinal and Computational Chemistry Forma Therapeutics has appointed Christopher Dinsmore, Ph.D., to the position of VP, medicinal and computational chemistry. Dr. Dinsmore joins Forma after a distinguished 19-year career at Merck & Co. Inc., where he helped build the Merck Research Laboratory in Boston. Forma is focused on discovering and developing medicines that will make a difference in oncology and other genetically driven therapeutic areas. Dr. Arban DOMI GeoVax Appoints Director, Vector Development GeoVax Labs, a biotechnology company developing vaccines to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, has appointed Arban Domi, Ph.D., as director, vector development. Dr. Domi will not only be a key player in the continued development of GeoVax’s HIV vaccines currently being evaluated in human clinical trials, but also in the development of versions of the company’s vaccines for the subtypes of HIV affecting the developing world. Dr. Domi’s experience will also be instrumental in the company’s evaluation of the suitability of vaccine constructs for commercial-scale vaccine manufacturing processes. Dr. Michael HOUSTON PhaseRx Appoints VP, Therapeutics Development PhaseRx, an RNA therapeutics company, has appointed Michael Houston, Ph.D., as VP, therapeutics development. Dr. Houston is charged with leading the company’s therapeutics program, which focuses on the advancement of its SMARTT polymer technology mRNA nanoparticles. Dr. Houston joins PhaseRx from Marina Biotech, where he served as VP, chemistry and formulations, and focused on the development of siRNAS and single stranded oligonucleotides. Stephen MILLER Transgenomic Appoints Senior VP and General Manager of Patient Testing Business Unit Transgenomic, a global biotechnology company advancing personalized medicine in cardiology, oncology, and inherited diseases through diagnostic tests as well as clinical and research services, has named Stephen Miller senior VP and general manager, patient testing. Most recently, he provided commercial and strategic consultancy services to a variety of diagnostics companies, including Transgenomic. Dr. Robert STEIN Agenus Creates Chief Scientific Officer Position Agenus, a biotechnology company developing novel immune system activating treatments for cancers and infectious diseases, has appointed Robert Stein, M.D., Ph.D., to the newly created position of chief scientific officer. Biopharma Pool Dr. Donald BERGSTROM Eva JACK Mersana Therapeutics Expands Executive Leadership Mersana Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing its Fleximer antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform and therapeutics, has made two executive appointments. Donald Bergstrom, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed chief medical officer, adding substantial experience in oncology translational research to Mersana’s team. He joins Mersana after serving as global head of translational and experimental medicine at Sanofi Oncology. Eva Jack has been appointed Mersana’s chief business officer, bringing a successful track record in business development and venture capital. Ms. Jack joins Mersana after serving as an independent advisor and consultant to biotech companies and investors on business and financing strategies. Dr. Joseph BISAHA Dr. David JACKSON Arno Expands Management Team Arno Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology therapeutics, has expanded its management team with the appointments of Joseph Bisaha, Ph.D., as VP, clinical operations and project management, and David Jackson, Ph.D., as VP, diagnostics. Dr. Bisaha was a clinical research consultant with Kaizen Clinical Services, where he was responsible for Arno’s clinical operations and project management activiti s. Before joining Arno, Dr. Jackson was VP, business development at PrimeraDx, a molecular diagnostic manufacturer and companion diagnostic development partner. Dr. Jacques DUMAS Idenix Pharmaceuticals Appoints Chief Scientific Officer Idenix Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, has appointed Jacques Dumas, Ph.D., as its executive VP and chief scientific officer. Dr. Dumas is trained as a medicinal chemist and brings more than 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical discovery and development, supporting a variety of programs in infectious diseases and oncology. Most recently, he served as VP and head of strategy, infection innovative medicines at AstraZeneca. Hervé HOPPENOT Incyte Appoints President and CEO Incyte, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of proprietary small molecule drugs for oncology and inflammation, has appointed Hervé Hoppenot president and CEO. Mr. Hoppenot was most recently president of Novartis Oncology. John THERO Amarin Announces Leadership Changes Amarin Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization and development of therapeutics to improve cardiovascular health, has appointed the current President John F. Thero, as president and CEO. Specialty Pool Herm CUKIER Thomas GRIFFiN JR. Charles SABINO JR. Actavis Appoints Industry Veterans to Lead U.S. Specialty Brands Business Units Actavis, a global specialty pharmaceutical company, has updated its business structure for its U.S. specialty brands business designed to maximize its position in key therapeutic areas and position it for continued long-term growth. Under its new structure, Actavis’ U.S. specialty brands business has been refocused as four business units: women’s health, urology/gastroenterology (GI), dermatology/established brands, and business operations. Herm Cukier has been named to lead the U.S. specialty brands women’s healthcare category; Thomas Griffin Jr. is charged with leading the business operations team; and Charles Sabino Jr. has been appointed to lead the U.S. specialty brands urology and GI therapeutic category. Dr. Angela DAVIES Champions Oncology Names Chief Medical Officer Champions Oncology, a company engaged in the development of advanced technology solutions and services to personalize the development and use of oncology drugs, has appointed Angela Davies, M.D., as chief medical officer. Dr. Davies most recently served as chief medical officer of Novocure, where she was responsible for the company’ss global clinical development and medical safety programs, and worked closely with the global commercialization team in launching a newly approved medical device for the primary brain tumor, recurrent glioblastoma. Dr. Elizabeth Ijeoma Onyemelukwe GARNER Agile Therapeutics Chief Medical Officer Agile Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on women’s health, has appointed Elizabeth Ijeoma Onyemelukwe Garner, M.D., M.P.H., as chief medical officer. She is charged with leading the clinical research, drug safety, and medical affairs teams in the clinical development of the company’s product pipeline. Most recently, Dr. Garner served as VP, women’s health and preventive care at Myriad Genetics Laboratories. Drug Discovery Pool Greg DUNCAN Celtaxsys Appoints President and CEO Greg Duncan joins Celtaxsys, a privately held drug discovery and development company focused on advancing medicine to treat patients with orphan inflammatory and pulmonary disease, as president and CEO. Mr. Duncan most recently served as an executive VP at UCB, a member of UCB’s executive committee, and president of North American operations for UCB. Agency Pool Edward HEINZ Emron Hires General Manager Managed markets agency, Emron has hired Edward Heinz as general manager. Most recently, Mr. Heinz was president and owner of HeinzSight, a medical communications consultancy specializing in clinical and managed care publishing and education programs. Mike HUCKMAN Pure Communications Names Chief Strategist Pure Communications Inc. has appointed Mike Huckman, an award-winning journalist and former CNBC pharmaceuticals and medtech reporter, to chief strategist. As chief strategist, he is charged with leading presentation, media, and roadshow skills development sessions for clients, as well as provide counsel on story development, investor relations and media strategy, issues management and crisis communications. Most recently, he was with the MSL Group, where he served as senior VP, director of media strategy and developed.
