Salix CEO Logan steps down following inventory misstep

Chutes and Ladders

Welcome to this week's Chutes and Ladders, our roundup of hirings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good word--or the bad--from your shop to Michael Gibney (email | Twitter) or Amirah Al Idrus (email | Twitter), and we will feature it here at the end of each week.

Salix CEO Logan steps down following inventory misstep

The shake-up at the top of Salix Pharmaceuticals ($SLXP) continues. On Monday afternoon, CEO Carolyn Logan became the second C-suite executive to step down in the wake of an inventory snafu disclosed late last year. Logan will retire as of Jan. 30, the company said. Now, the company says it's planning to hire a top search firm to hunt for Logan's replacement, and in the meantime, Chairman Tom D'Alonzo will take the reins as acting chief executive. William Bertrand Jr., SVP and general counsel, will serve as acting COO. Story

Salix
Carolyn Logan is stepping down from her position as CEO.


Isis/Akcea Therapeutics
Paula Soteropoulos joined as president and CEO of Isis' new subsidiary.


Sofinnova Ventures
Daniel Welch joined as executive partner.

Biotech

> Isis Pharmaceuticals ($ISIS) is shifting its cardiovascular pipeline into a new subsidiary, cutting the ribbon on Akcea Therapeutics and appointing former Genzyme executive Paula Soteropoulos to lead the way. Article

Former InterMune CEO Daniel Welch joined life science investment firm Sofinnova Ventures as an executive partner. With over 30 years of experience across pharmaceutical and biotech companies, Welch will bring experience ranging from clinical stage drug development to large-scale commercialization to the investment firm, Sofinnova partners said in a release. Sofinnova recently completed fundraising for its ninth healthcare fund, reaching a hard cap of $500 million in investor commitments. The firm has $1.8 billion in committed capital, focusing on taking life science companies from inception to exit. Release

> Edge Therapeutics selected Renu Vaish to serve as vice president of regulatory affairs. Release

> Evan Lippman was appointed the chief financial and business officer of Aileron Therapeutics. Release

> Jounce Therapeutics named Deborah Law as its chief scientific officer. Release

> Mark Colonnese was appointed as chief financial officer of Stealth BioTherapeutics. Release

> Evofem appointed John Fair to be the company's chief operating officer. Release

> Halozyme ($HALO) appointed Dr. Athena Countouriotis as its chief medical officer. Release

> Galmed Pharmaceuticals ($GLMD) hired Josh Blacher as its chief financial officer. Release

> CytomX Therapeutics brought on Dr. Michael Kavanaugh as its chief scientific officer and head of research and early development. Release

> NeoStem ($NBS) hired David Mazzo as its CEO, Robert Vaters as president and CFO and Dr. Robin Smith as the board's executive chair. Release

> Catalyst appointed David Muth as its executive vice president and chief commercial officer. Release

> Glen Ibbott joined QLT ($QLTI) as the company's interim chief financial officer. Release

> Geneticist and informatics specialist David Mittelman stepped in at Tute Genomics as its chief scientific officer. Release

> Clarus Ventures promoted Scott Requadt to be its managing director. Release

> Scioderm appointed Ian Howes as its chief financial officer. Release

> AxoGen ($AXGN) hired Jill Schiaparelli as its chief marketing officer. Release

> Sprout Pharmaceuticals named Cindy Whitehead as its CEO. Release

> Onkaido Therapeutics, wholly owned by Moderna Therapeutics, has appointed Michael Morin as chief scientific officer. Release

> Warren Ribley has been named president and CEO of iBIO--The Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization--and of its affiliate, the iBIO Institute. Release

> Dr. Dennis A. Ausiello has been appointed to Blend Therapeutics' board of directors. Release

> Dominique Vanfleteren joins ThromboGenics NV as chief financial officer. Release

> Phillip Johnson was appointed chief financial officer at Xeris Pharmaceuticals after a $17.9M Series B round. Release

> Klara A. Dickinson was named senior vice president, chief regulatory officer, of Anthera Pharmaceuticals ($ANTH). Release

> Pierre Lapalme elected to step down as BioMarin Pharmaceutical ($BMRN) board chairman. Release

> Isis Pharmaceuticals ($ISIS) brought on Sarah Boyce as its chief business officer. Release

> Endo's ($ENDP) chief legal officer Caroline Manogue announced she would retire in July. Release

> Søren Tulstrup, formerly head of global franchise with Shire ($SHPG), has joined Vifor Pharma as its CEO. Reporting to Tulstrup will be Dario Eklund, the newly appointed head of global business operations, and Abdul Mullick, the new head of global marketing. Release

> Bayer's U.S. arm names Steven Immergut vice president, head of pharmaceutical communications. Release

> Raptor Pharmaceutical ($RPTP) appoints Dr. Krishna Polu as its chief medical officer and Michael P. Smith as chief financial officer, effective Jan. 12. Release

> Marinus Pharma ($MRNS) appoints Dr. Albena Patroneva as chief medical officer. Release

Pharma

> Eli Lilly ($LLY) bumped Darren Carroll up to senior vice president of corporate business development. Release

> AstraZeneca ($AZN) announced that Robert Iannone will be heading its immuno-oncology drug development operations, following the November 2014 departures of Rachel Humphrey, former SVP and head of immuno-oncology, and Peter Emtage, who was part of its MedImmune unit. Release

Medical Devices

> Sunshine Heart appointed Claudia Drayton as its chief financial officer. Release

> Kevin Sayer joined DexCom ($DXCM) as president and CEO, and Terry Gregg joined the company as its executive chairman. Release

CRO

> INC Research ($INCR) CEO Jamie Macdonald has been elected chairman of the Association of Clinical Research Organizations. David Simmons, chairman and CEO of PPD, will serve as vice chairman. Release