Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Max Bayer or Gabrielle Masson, and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
Pfizer shakes up R&D leadership in preparation of Seagen merger
Pfizer
Pfizer is preparing to close its $43 billion Seagen merger, which is expected later this year or in early 2024. Part of that prep includes changes to the Big Pharma’s research leadership team. Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., is slated to take on more responsibilities while the company says goodbye to Chief Development Officer William Pao, M.D., Ph.D., who just took on the role in February 2022.
Dolsten will expand his role to become chief scientific officer and president of R&D. While he had previously been responsible for all discovery and early-phase clinical development, he will now also “lead an end-to-end model across all of Pfizer’s other therapeutic areas,” according to the company.
Pao, who Pfizer snagged from Roche last year, is leaving “to pursue new opportunities outside the company.”
Pfizer also plans to promote Chris Boshoff, M.D., Ph.D, to serve as chief oncology research and development officer. He previously oversaw clinical research and product development activities for Pfizer’s oncology portfolio. In his new role, Boshoff will be in charge of integrating medicines from Seagen. Fierce Biotech
Industry vet Enrique Conterno resigns from FibroGen
FibroGen
FibroGen CEO Enrique Conterno has resigned from his post for “personal reasons,” according to a company release.
After a 27-year-run at Eli Lilly, Conterno joined Fibrogen in 2020, when hopes surrounding the company’s anemia drug roxadustat were high. During his time at Lilly, Conterno is credited with returning its diabetes business to the industry's top spot, with annual revenue hitting more than $10 billion.
However, his road at FibroGen proved much rockier, with the AstraZeneca-partnered drug roxadustat suffering an FDA rejection, commercial disappointments and a clinical trial flop.
As FibroGen hunts for a permanent successor, Chief Commercial Officer Thane Wettig will take on the interim CEO title with support from Wettig, who will serve as a special advisor during the transition. Fierce Pharma
Editas snags Biogen vet as CSO
Editas Medicine
Long-time Biogen veteran Linda Burkly, Ph.D., has landed at Editas Medicine, where she will serve as EVP and chief scientific officer. Burkly will lead the genome editing company’s drug discovery team and pipeline activities.
The Biogen veteran ended a 37-year tenure last year after most recently leading neuroscience-focused research teams as VP and senior distinguished investigator. During her time at the big biotech, Burkly is credited with inventing a new anti-CD4 mAb that was developed into the HIV treatment Trogarzo and discovering new VLA-4/VCAM biology and uses of VLA-4 blockers including for Crohn’s disease, an indication of Tysabri. Release
> AstraZeneca's Mene Pangalos, Ph.D., is set to step down as EVP of biopharmaceuticals R&D early next year after 14 years with the Big Pharma. Sharon Barr, who has headed up R&D at AstraZeneca’s rare disease unit Alexion since 2013, is set to fill the post. Fierce Biotech
> Bicara Therapeutics has snagged former Amgen leader David Raben, M.D., to serve as the biotech’s chief medical officer. At Amgen, Raben most recently served as VP of global product development and product general manager of oncology, and before that held a leadership position at Genentech. Release
> Flagship’s Senda Biosciences has chosen Igor Matushansky, M.D., Ph.D., to serve as the company’s chief medical officer. He most recently served as CMO and global head of R&D at Hookipa Pharma, and has past experience at Daiichi Sankyo and Novartis. Release
> On Oct. 1, Nuno Mendonça, M.D., will join AC Immune as chief medical officer, taking the reins from Johannes Streffer, M.D., who is leaving to pursue a new role outside the company. Previously, Mendonça has held roles at Bial and AbbVie. Release
> Peter Powchik, M.D., is set to join Vaxxinity as EVP and global scientific director starting Oct. 1. Before Vaxxinity, he served as SVP and head of clinical development for Regeneron. Release
> Annexon Biosciences has appointed Jamie Dananberg, M.D., to serve as chief medical officer. He most recently served as CMO for Unity Biotechnology, and has held past leadership roles at Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly. Release
> Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has tapped Angus Grant, Ph.D., to take on the role of EVP of business development starting Aug. 1. Most recently, Grant was the chief business executive at BeiGene, and has also served as CEO of the Dementia Discovery Fund and held various leadership positions at Celgene. Release
> Pheon Therapeutics has chosen Cyrus Mozayeni, M.D., to serve as CEO after former leader Bertrand Damour decided to step down. Mozayeni most recently co-founded and helmed Vedere Bio through its sale to Novartis. Release
> Catalyst Pharmaceutical Co-Founder, Chair and CEO Patrick McEnany has told the board he plans to retire from his role as CEO by the end of this year. McEnany has led the company since its inception in 2002 and will continue to serve as non-executive chair of the board after his CEO position is filled. Release
> Nexo Therapeutics has exited stealth with $60 million and CEO and co-founder Andrew Phillips, Ph.D., at the helm. He’s joined by co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Michael Kim, Ph.D.; VP, head of biology and co-founder Rhamy Zeid, Ph.D.; VP, head of operations and co-founder John Athanosopoulos; and VP and head of discovery Joe Patel, Ph.D. All of the leaders have previously worked at C4 Therapeutics, among other companies. Release
> Starting Sept. 8, Modestus Obochi, Ph.D., will take up the role of chief business officer at cell therapy company Sernova. Obochi has held past roles at Pfizer and Baxter International, among others. Release