Biogen Announces Leadership Update
Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB) today announced an update to its senior
leadership team. Effective immediately, Alfred Sandrock, Jr., M.D.,
Ph.D., has been named Executive Vice President, Research and
Development, in addition to his responsibilities as Chief Medical
Officer, and Alphonse Galdes, Ph.D., has been appointed Executive
Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations and Technology. Michael
D. Ehlers, M.D., Ph.D., has decided to step down as Executive Vice
President, Research and Development, and will leave Biogen
effective October 11, 2019, to pursue a new career
opportunity.
“Both Al and Alphonse are seasoned and respected leaders at
Biogen. Their accomplishments in the scientific community are
well-recognized,” said Michel Vounatsos, Chief Executive Officer at
Biogen. “I’m pleased we have the benefit of their long-standing
experience and proven track-record, which will be instrumental as
we aim to sustain leadership in our core MS business and expand our
neuroscience portfolio.
"I also want to thank Mike for his significant contributions and
for the substantial progress made in our pipeline during his three
years at Biogen. He has transformed the R&D organization
and I believe he has built the best neuroscience team in the
industry.”
“For more than two decades at Biogen I’ve been fortunate to work
with incredibly talented colleagues committed to patients,
following the science and making a difference in this world,” said
Sandrock. “The societal burden of neurological diseases is
massive, and I am proud of the research and development programs
under way at Biogen. As a physician and scientist, I will continue
to be focused on advancing our pipeline with the goal of pioneering
new scientific breakthroughs and bringing new treatment options to
patients.”
Ehlers said, "I am very proud of the accomplishments we have
achieved in the past three years. With nine read-outs
expected by the end of 2020, I believe Biogen is in a unique
position to bring breakthroughs in neuroscience and I am confident
in the team in place to realize the full potential of a
significantly expanded pipeline. I believe it is the right
time to pass the baton, and I am excited about taking on a new
challenge in venture capital and biotech with the same broad goal
of converting differentiated science into meaningful medicines for
patients.”
Sandrock has served on Biogen’s Executive Committee since 2015.
He was named Chief Medical Officer in 2012 and since joining the
company in 1998, has held several senior executive positions,
including Senior Vice President of Development Sciences, Senior
Vice President of Neurology Research and Development and Vice
President of Clinical Development, Neurology. Sandrock received his
B.A. in human biology from Stanford University, an M.D. from
Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard
University. He completed an internship in medicine, a residency and
chief residency in neurology and a clinical fellowship in
Neuromuscular Disease and Clinical Neurophysiology
(electromyography) at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Galdes is Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations
and Technology of Biogen and has served on the Executive Committee
since September 2019. Since joining Biogen in 1995, Galdes has held
several senior executive positions, including most recently as
Senior Vice President, Asset Development and Portfolio Management
from November 2015 to September 2019 and Senior Vice President,
Technical Development from October 2010 to November 2015. Galdes
received his B.S. in Chemistry and Biology and his M.S. in
Biochemistry from the University of Malta and received his Ph.D. in
Biochemistry from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Galdes served as a Research Associate at the Department of
Biological Chemistry at Harvard Medical School.
About BiogenAt Biogen, our mission is clear: we
are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops and
delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with
serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases as well as
related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global
biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles
Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Kenneth Murray and Nobel Prize winners
Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp, and today has the leading
portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced
the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy,
commercializes biosimilars of advanced biologics and is focused on
advancing research programs in multiple sclerosis and
neuroimmunology, neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders,
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, ophthalmology, immunology,
neurocognitive disorders, acute neurology and pain.
We routinely post information that may be important to investors
on our website at www.biogen.com. To learn more, please visit
www.biogen.com and follow us on social media – Twitter,
LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube.
Biogen Safe Harbor
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including
statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to our
business activities; our strategy and plans; the potential of our
commercial business and pipeline programs; clinical development
programs and data readouts; the expected benefits from the
appointment of Sandrock as Executive Vice President, Research and
Development; and the expected benefits from the appointment of
Galdes as Executive Vice President, Pharmaceuticals Operations and
Technology. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by
words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,”
“except,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,”
“possible,” “will,” “would” and other words and terms of similar
meaning. Drug development and commercialization involve a high
degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development
programs result in commercialization of a product. You should not
place undue reliance on these statements.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in
such statements, including, without limitation: risks relating to
management and key personnel changes; difficulties in obtaining and
maintaining adequate coverage, pricing and reimbursement for our
products; failure to protect and enforce our data, intellectual
property and other proprietary rights and uncertainties relating to
intellectual property claims and challenges; uncertainty of success
in developing, licensing or acquiring other product candidates or
additional indications for existing products; failure to compete
effectively due to significant product competition in the markets
for our products; the occurrence of adverse safety events; delay in
approval of our drug candidates; potential future healthcare
reforms; product liability claims; and third party collaboration
risks. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors
that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in
any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this
cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors identified in our
most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These
statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and
speak only as of the date of this news release. We do not undertake
any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future developments or
otherwise.
MEDIA CONTACT: David Caouette + 617 679
4945public.affairs@biogen.com |
INVESTOR CONTACT: Joe Mara +1 781 464
2442IR@biogen.com |
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