Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Gabrielle Masson and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
Takeda taps internal leader to head US oncology business unit
Takeda
Takeda has tapped Pallavi Garg to serve as the head of U.S. for the oncology business unit, a role previously held by Stefanie Granado, Ph.D.
“As I embark on the next chapter of my career at this organization, I look forward to returning to focus on the U.S. market, where I have more than a decade of experience,” Garg wrote in a LinkedIn post published last weekend.
In her new role, Garg will report to Teresa Bitetti, Takeda’s president of the global oncology business unit, a company spokesperson confirmed with Fierce Biotech.
The pharma is working to fill Garg’s past role as SVP, head of global oncology products and pipeline strategy, which she held for two and a half years.
Besides Bitetti, Takeda Oncology is led by P.K. Morrow, M.D., who joined as head of the oncology therapeutic area unit in February from CRISPR Therapeutics. LinkedIn
Gene therapy pioneer James Wilson leaves Penn, launches biotechs
Gemma Biotherapeutics and Franklin Biolabs
After more than 30 years, gene therapy trailblazer James Wilson M.D., Ph.D., is leaving the University of Pennsylvania. He will be spearheading two new companies meant to translate the scientific discoveries made in the school’s Gene Therapy Program, where he served as director, into new treatments.
Wilson will be CEO of Gemma Biotherapeutics and Franklin Biolabs, which will work in tandem to develop new gene therapies. GemmaBio will be the research and development side of things, while Franklin Biolabs, a genetic medicines contract research organization, will take on services and production duties.
Wilson is best known for the discovery and development of adeno-associated viruses as vectors for gene therapy. These viruses infect primates but don’t cause disease in humans and so can be engineered to deliver genetic material into our cells. Wilson has long had a foot in the biotech world, with several companies spinning out of his lab including iECURE. He also serves as chief science adviser to Passage Bio. Story
Cour’s CEO slated to step down
Cour Pharmaceuticals
A few months after finding a new chief medical officer, Chicago-based Cour Pharmaceuticals is replacing its top leader.
Cour President and CEO John Puisis is expected to transfer his responsibilities to Chief Operating Officer Dannielle Appelhans, starting Sept. 1. Puisis, who co-founded the biotech more than a decade ago, will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors through the end of the year.
Successor Appelhans joined the biotech in 2023 and served as Rubius Therapeutics’ CEO before that.
The expected change-up follows the appointment of Paul Peloso, M.D., who previously held the CMO title at Acelyrin. He took over the role from Roy First, M.D., who had served as Cour’s acting CMO for five years.
Earlier this year, the biotech nabbed $105 million in a series A financing. The company is currently enrolling patients in a phase 1b/2a clinical trial for patients with myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune condition. Release
> Gene therapy company UniQure is implementing a 65% workforce reduction—or 300 roles—that includes the departure of Chief Operating Officer Pierre Caloz. His exit is tied to the recent sale of a Massachusetts manufacturing facility, according to UniQure. Amin Abujoub, Ph.D., who previously served as the biopharma’s chief quality officer, is taking on the new role of chief technical operations officer, which will include global oversight of contract manufacturers. Story
> Christophe Degois has joined Canada-based Oncolytics Biotech as vice president of business development, according to a statement emailed to Fierce Biotech. Before joining the immunotherapy biotech, Degois held the same title at Dantari and worked at Eli Lilly before that.
> Precision biotherapeutics company Hummingbird Bioscience is promoting two internal leaders: Kon Yew Kwek to chief medical officer and Lisa Ooi, Ph.D., as chief operating officer. Both Kwek and Ooi joined the biotech in 2022; Kwek previously held the role of senior vice president of clinical development, while Ooi served as senior vice president of strategy. Release
> José Trevejo, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed chief medical officer and head of clinical pipeline strategy at Enveda Biosciences. Trevejo was most recently at Tarsus Pharmaceuticals and has also spent time at Vertex and Genentech. Release
> Zealand Pharma has appointed Eric Cox as chief commercial officer. Cox previously led commercial strategy and business development for obesity and metabolism at Carmot Therapeutics. He has also served in leadership roles at AstraZeneca and Merck. Release
> Khurram Jamil, M.D. has earned a promotion at Galectin Therapeutics, where he is now chief medical officer. He replaces Pol Boudes, M.D., who is no longer employed with the biotech. Jamil joined Galectin several months ago as vice president of clinical development and medical director. Release
> New autoimmune biotech Jade Biosciences has launched with Andrew King, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer. King previously served as CSO of Chinook Therapeutics, where he oversaw the discovery research, nonclinical development and translational medicine teams. Release
> Need a new gig? The FDA is hiring a new director of its Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) as it looks to replace Jeff Shuren, M.D., who is retiring after 15 years. Shuren became the acting director of CDRH in September 2009 and was appointed the permanent director in January 2010. Story
> Mark Vignola, Ph.D. is out and Elona Kogan is in at Terns Pharmaceuticals. Vignola is departing as chief financial officer, and the search is on for his successor. Kogan will be chief legal officer after previously serving in that role at Seer Inc. She has also held top positions at Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Avanir Pharmaceuticals and King Pharmaceuticals. Release
> Bioluminescence Ventures is glowing brighter after appointing Campbell Murray, M.D., as a senior partner. Murray was previously a general partner at Agent Capital and before that spent more than 16 years with Novartis Venture Fund. Release
> Myriad Genetics is appointing Jennifer Fox as chief legal officer. Fox most recently served as the executive vice president of external affairs for Emergent BioSolutions. Before that, she held positions with Brinks, Gilson & Lione, Novozymes North America and GSK. Release