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, and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
FDA adds experienced duo to executive team to advise science, policy
Food and Drug Administration
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., announced a couple of new hires to bolster the agency’s executive team, naming Namandjé Bumpus, Ph.D., as chief scientist and Hilary Marston, M.D., as chief medical officer. The two fill a couple of vacant positions and are two of the more significant hires made by Califf since he joined earlier this year.
Bumpus is the director of and professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. Her lab interrogates the impact of cytochrome P450s, which are responsible for the metabolism of roughly 75% of currently marketed drugs, and focuses specifically on drug-induced acute liver failure associated with some treatments for HIV and hepatitis C. The long-term goal of the lab, and Bumpus’ research, is to learn how to develop therapies with fewer toxic events.
For Marston, the move is even shorter than Bumpus’ jump over from Baltimore. She joins from the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, where she’s currently a medical officer and policy adviser for pandemic preparedness in the office of the chief of staff. Her background is in global health, having worked for Partners in Health and the Clinton Health Access Initiative. The addition of her expertise comes at a critical point for the FDA as it navigates both the COVID pandemic and the nation’s growing monkeypox outbreak.
In a tweet, Califf said the two would “enhance collaboration across FDA and complement and bolster the ongoing efforts of our amazing workforce.” Tweet
GSK nabs two former AstraZeneca execs to bolster commercial deals effort
GSK
GSK didn’t have to look outside of Britain to fortify its commercial team, nabbing two dealmakers from fellow U.K. pharma AstraZeneca. First and foremost, Chris Sheldon is joining as SVP of commercial portfolio. He had been a fixture at AstraZeneca, rising through the ranks since 2004, most recently leading investor relations. But he started as a research scientist and frequently worked on the business side of the company’s oncology work. Before being named VP of investor relations in August 2021, he was VP and global head of business development and licensing for oncology R&D. In his new role, he’ll be tasked with overseeing business development across “all core therapy areas.”
GSK is also bringing aboard Garrett Rhyasen as VP of search and evaluation for oncology. It’s a promotion for Rhyasen who has worked in a similar capacity for AstraZeneca, currently as the executive director and global head of oncology search and evaluation, business development and licensing. He’ll have Sheldon’s ear when it comes to guiding commercial work for all things cancer as GSK focuses on building out its late-stage pipeline.
Needless to say, the hires underscore a dedicated effort by GSK to fortify its roster of cancer treatments outside of clinical development. The hires were first reported by Bloomberg News and confirmed by GSK in an email.
BeiGene founder and biopharma veteran Huang joins protein-degradation-focused Dunad
Dunad Therapeutics
Pearl Huang, Ph.D., knows her way around the biopharma industry. So much so, it’s difficult to think about a function or role she’s yet to step into. That experience clearly stood out to upstart Dunad Therapeutics
After leading Flagship Pioneering-founded Cygnal Therapeutics, Huang is leaving to join a new, budding biotech in Dunad. The company, which is working on developing oral targeted protein degraders, was founded in 2020 and signed a licensing deal with Novartis in November 2021. The deal is worth up to $1.3 billion in exchange for four targets that Novartis can take and run with.
Huang’s experience doesn’t start and stop at growing biotechs. She’s also bounced around larger pharmas, including Roche and GSK. But arguably her most notable career move to date was co-founding BeiGene in 2010, where she was acting chief scientific officer. The China-based biotech had its first drug approved in November 2019, which if that weren’t significant enough, marked the first time a drug discovered in China was approved in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, the company’s market cap sits north of $18 billion.
Huang’s experience launching and running companies comes at a critical time for the Dunad as it looks to continue to grow. The company says its initial focus is on developing therapies for oncology and inflammation but expects to expand into other disease areas. Release
> Clinical development leader Eric Hughes, M.D., Ph.D., is jumping to become chief medical officer at Teva Pharmaceutical. Hughes as been SVP of clinical development and translational research at Vertex following a number of stints at larger pharmas. Release
> GV20 is making a trio of crucial executive hires, none more important than Shirley Liu, Ph.D., a cancer biologist from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who’s joining as CEO. The company is also bringing on Steven Landau, M.D., as chief medical officer and Ying Gong, Ph.D., as chief business officer. Release
> After closing a $20 million series A round at the tail end of 2021, Cargene has found a new leader, naming Kathy He as CEO. She was most recently chief business officer at Kira Pharmaceuticals but has held strategy and commercial roles at larger pharmas including Takeda, Merck and Abbott Labs. Release
> Shoring up its European outposts, Amarin is making a couple of new hires, naming Henrik Asmussen as general manager of mid-Europe and the Nordic countries and Salvador Lopez as general manager for Spain and Portugal. The two will be responsible for leading commercial activities of the company’s cardiovascular meds in their respective regions.
> Paul Moore, Ph.D., is joining Zymeworks to be the company’s new scientific officer. He joins from MacroGenics, where he was VP of cell biology and immunology. Release
> Inovio is brining on Michael Sumner, M.B., as its new chief medical officer after he held the same position at Orexo AB since 2013. Sumner has also made stops at larger pharmas including Novo Nordisk, Novartis and Shire. Release
> Genentech alum Chudi Ndubaku, Ph.D., has been tapped to be chief scientific officer of Paraza Pharma. It’s a promotion for Ndubaku, after he was VP and head of drug discovery at Oric Pharmaceuticals. Now, he’ll lead Paraza’s entire R&D division. Release
> Gossamer Bio CEO Faheem Hasnain has been appointed chairman of the board at Sling Therapeutics. It’s his fourth chairmanship, in addition to Aspen Neuroscience, Mirati Therapeutics and Senté. Release
> Marco Polizzi has been named the new CEO of Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals after nearly four years running Oakrum Pharma. Interim CEO Donna Skerrett, M.D., will return to her original position as chief medical officer. Release
> Elevar Therapeutics is shoring up its C-suite, naming a couple of new hires including a new chief medical officer. Jan M. Van Tornout, M.D., will take the role of CMO, the latest in a string of clinical development positions at a number of pharmas, including GSK and Bristol Myers Squibb. The company also tapped Gordon Schooley, Ph.D., to be chief regulatory officer. Release
> Agustín Melián, M.D., has been brought on to lead R&D for Forma Therapeutics, being named EVP, head of R&D. It’s not the only top hire, with Linea Aspesi also joining as SVP and chief human resources officer. Release
> Amid a surge in overdoses, Kura may have a potential lift, developing KUR-101 to treat opioid use disorder. The company also has a new leader, naming Chad Beyer, Ph.D., as chief executive officer after he led R&D at Promentis Pharmaceuticals. Release
> Medical tech company Enovis has a new chief financial officer, naming Ben Berry for the job. He replaces Chris Hix, who’s moving into an advisory position before retiring next year. Release
> Siobhan Nolan Mangini is tacking on a new role at NGM Bio, being named president in addition to her position as CFO. Prior to joining NGM, Nolan Mangini was president and CFO of Castlight Health. Release
> Cell therapy platform company Cellino has made a couple of updates to its executive team. The company is bringing on Abhijit Kulkarni, Ph.D. as chief operating officer and Paulette Dillon as chief business officer. Release