Eli Lilly shakes up R&D ops in restructuring

Eli Lilly has shaken up the management structure of its R&D and international operations as it looks for a more efficient way to speed new drugs through the approval process. Its worldwide regulatory, medical and patient safety divisions at the R&D division will be placed under Dr. Tim Garnett, who's been appointed chief medical officer. Current CMO Dr. Alan Breier is leaving for a job in academia and regulatory affairs chief Dr. Tim Franson is retiring.

Other changes: Dr. Jen Stotka has been appointed vice president of global regulatory affairs; Dr. Don Therasse will become vice president of global patient safety; Enrique Conterno becomes vice president for health care professional markets; Jack Bailey has been named vice president for account-based markets; Karim Bitar has been named president of European operations. Abbas Hussain leaves for GSK.

It's all a result of the housecleaning ordered by new CEO John Lechleiter (photo), who's looking to create a nimbler, more effective organization at a time the pharma giant is under tremendous pressure to perform better.

- here's the release
- read the AP report
- read the story from the Chicago Tribune