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 Darren Incorvaia or Zoey Becker and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
Roche taps Aussie oncologist to lead early research
Roche
Swiss drugmaker Roche has plucked an experienced scientist from Down Under to lead its early research efforts. Hematologist Mark Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., an expert in cancer epigenetics, will now head up Roche’s pharma research and early development unit, effective May 1. To take the role, Dawson is departing from his position as associate director of research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. He is also a professor at the University of Melbourne and an elected member of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the European Molecular Biology Organization. At December’s meeting of the American Society of Hematology, Dawson was awarded the prestigious William Dameshek Prize. Release
Sanofi specialty care chief departs
Sanofi
Following the ouster of the French drugmaker’s CEO Paul Hudson earlier this month, Brian Foard is departing Sanofi as specialty care chief at the end of the month for another leadership opportunity. The pharma has promoted Manuela Buxo to replace him. Buxo previously led the global immunology alliance franchise for Sanofi, where she drove expansion and growth for the company’s eczema and inflammation blockbuster Dupixent, which generated $18.6 billion in revenue last year. Her new role will continue her responsibility for Dupixent’s growth, and she will serve on the executive leadership team for the company’s new CEO, Belén Garijo, M.D., Ph.D., when Garijo joins from Merck KGaA at the end of April. Buxo will be in charge of one of Sanofi’s most important areas as the pharma giant looks to replace the revenue lost as Dupixent’s patent cliff nears. Story
Sensorion keeps an ear out for new CEO
Sensorion
Sensorion’s CEO Nawal Ouzren is stepping away from the hearing-loss-focused biotech, citing a personal matter that is “incompatible” with serving as CEO and as a director on the company’s board. While the leadership change is effective immediately, Ouzren will stay on temporarily as a consultant to facilitate a smooth transition between her and Board Chairman Amit Munshi, who is taking over in the interim as Sensorion looks for a permanent replacement. Ouzren had been with Sensorion since 2017 and has seen the biotech through several milestones—as well as setbacks—as the company looks to restore, treat and prevent hearing loss disorders through its two gene therapy programs and pipeline of other assets. Release
> CNS Pharmaceuticals’ new CEO Rami Levin is rounding out his leadership team with Steven O’Loughlin as chief financial officer, Eric Faulkner as chief technology officer and Dylan Wenke as chief business officer. Release
> Regenerative medicine specialist Longeveron is looking to Stephen Willard as its new CEO, replacing interim leader Than Powell. Release
> Jeff Bluestone, Ph.D., a pioneering researcher of regulatory T cells and former CEO of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, has found his next role as managing director at autoimmune-focused Vie Ventures. Release
> Michelle Morrow, Ph.D., is leaving behind her spot as Avacta Therapeutics’ chief scientific officer to join the fold at Nucleome Therapeutics, taking on the same role at the 3D genomics biotech. Release
> Aquestive Therapeutics, looking to bounce back after a recent FDA rejection, is pumping years of expertise into its leadership team through the appointment of world-renowned allergy expert Matthew Greenhawt, M.D., as chief medical officer. Release
> Lixte Biotechnology is putting Sidney Braun in charge of its recently acquired subsidiary Liora Technologies Europe as CEO, where he will help advance Liora’s LiGHT system technology in cancer treatment. Release
> California-based Tenvie Therapeutics’ new chief business officer will be Don O’Sullivan, Ph.D. He will lead business development for the small molecule biotech’s work in neurological diseases. Release
> Roche-affiliated tech outfit Flatiron Health looked internally to add to its executive team, promoting Michael Bierl to chief business officer, adding Allison Candido as chief technology officer and making Kate Estep its chief product officer. Release
> Therapy manufacturing platform Artis BioSolutions has named Kate Broderick, Ph.D., as its chief scientific innovation officer. Release