Key Takeaways
- Incyte’s CEO Hervé Hoppenot retires, succeeded by Bill Meury, a seasoned dealmaker.
- The FDA sees multiple leadership changes, including the retirement of CDER acting director Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay.
- Sun Pharma appoints Richard Ascroft as CEO for North America operations following Abhay Gandhi’s departure.
Leadership Changes at Incyte
Incyte’s longtime CEO, Hervé Hoppenot, is stepping down after more than a decade of guiding the company into a successful multibillion-dollar enterprise. Under his leadership since 2014, Incyte expanded its portfolio beyond the renowned JAK inhibitor, Jakafi, to include the rapidly growing JAK cream, Opzelura. Bill Meury has been named as the new CEO, effective immediately, while Hoppenot will remain as an advisor and board member until the end of the year. Meury is known for his extensive dealmaking experience, having recently led Anthos Therapeutics through its acquisition by Novartis and guiding Karuna Therapeutics during its $14 billion merger with Bristol Myers Squibb. His appointment may indicate that Incyte could be preparing for future mergers and acquisitions, especially as Jakafi approaches a patent expiration in 2028.
FDA Leadership Shake-Ups
The FDA is undergoing significant leadership changes, with at least four reported in the past week following a period of workforce cuts. Nicole Verdun, M.D., the director of the agency’s cell and gene therapy office, along with her deputy Rachael Anatol, Ph.D., have been placed on administrative leave without explanation. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, M.D., the acting director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), has announced her retirement scheduled for July, after eight years with the FDA. Mike Davis, M.D., Ph.D., will take over her role. Davis previously served as chief medical officer at the Usona Institute, focusing on psychedelic drug development.
New Executive Appointments and Departures
Sun Pharmaceutical has appointed Richard Ascroft as the new CEO of North American operations, replacing Abhay Gandhi. Ascroft comes from Takeda, where he led U.S. plasma-derived therapies and will now oversee product launches in the U.S. and Canada, specifically targeting alopecia areata and squamous cell carcinoma.
Vor Bio has recently made headlines by announcing a new licensing deal, coinciding with the resignation of its CEO, Robert Ang. Jean-Paul Kress, M.D., previously at MorphoSys, will assume the role.
Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., former head of R&D at Pfizer, has joined Arbor Biotechnologies as a board member. Storm Therapeutics has brought on Eric Martin, Ph.D., as chief development officer, with extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical sector.
Consumer health company Haleon has welcomed Carl Haney as its new chief R&D officer, succeeding Franck Riot. Vistagen has appointed Elissa Cote as chief corporate development officer.
Additionally, experienced executive Dimitry S.A. Nuyten, M.D., Ph.D., is moving to OnCusp Therapeutics as chief medical officer, while Andreas Moraitis, M.D., has been named SVP of clinical development at MBX Biosciences.
Phathom Pharmaceuticals has added Anne Marie Cook as its chief legal officer, and Longeveron has appointed Than Powell to oversee its strategy in Alzheimer’s disease and hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Murray Abramson, M.D., formerly associated with major organizations like Biogen and Merck, is taking on a new role at Ascidian Therapeutics. Abvance Therapeutics has also expanded its leadership, announcing several key appointments, including David Maggs, M.D., as chief medical officer.
Finally, Q32 Bio’s Jason Campagna, M.D., Ph.D., is leaving the company, with his position as chief medical officer now filled temporarily by Adrien Sipos, M.D., Ph.D.
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