Pfizer hires new R&D chief, launches biotech center

Pfizer is making moves to salvage its troubled pipeline [1]. The company has named Martin Mackay as its new head of global R&D. Previously, Mackay was vice president of R&D and senior vice president of worldwide development. The move surprised some analysts who expected Pfizer to look outside the company for an R&D chief, as it did when it hired Jeffrey Kindler (photo [2]).

Pfizer is also launching a biotherapeutics and bioinnovation center [3], to be based in California and headed by Dr. Goodman, a co-founder of Exelixis [4] and Renovis [5]. The center will focus on discovering new medicines as well as securing new technologies and research tools. It will work with the academic, biotech and venture communities, not only to focus on delivering new compounds for Pfizer but also on incubating start-ups with new technologies. In addition the the biotech center, Pfizer once again said it would be looking outside the company to beef up its pipeline.

- see Pfizer's release [6] on Mackay and the biotech center
- read the WSJ piece [7] for more

Related Articles:
Pfizer's future rests with biotech. Report [3]
Pfizer to invest $50M in biotech start-ups. Report [8]
Pfizer goes public with R&D pipeline. Report [1]
Troubled Pfizer blueprints biotech venture effort. Report [9]
Biotech sees big money from corporate players. Report [10]