NPS Pharmaceuticals, Targanta Therapeutics, Merck & Co, MAP Pharmaceuticals and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals - People on the move
Pharmaceuticals and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals have all had people
on the move in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Francois Nader of NPS Pharmaceuticals is to be promoted to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer at the company. Nader joined the firm in June last year as chief medical and commercial officer, and in his new roles will be responsible for managing NPS's R&D, regulatory affairs and commercial operations. Nader will also be taking control of implementing the company's outsourcing business model following the recent restructuring announcements and the sale of two facilities. Before joining NPS, Nader held positions at Aventis Pharmaceuticals and was also a venture partner at care capital, a life science venture capital firm. Biopharmaceutical company Targanta Therapeutics also recently announced a promotion, with current vice president of operations and manufacturing Roger Miller assuming the additional responsibility of the firm's Indianapolis facility. The company also announced the appointment of Garen Bohlin to its board of directors. Bohlin is the current chief operating officer of Sirtis Pharmaceuticals, and previously served as president and CEO of Syntonix Pharmaceuticals. Biogen Idec has announced that it is losing its finance head Peter Kellogg, as he leaves to take up a new post with Merck & Co. Kellogg will leave Biogen to become executive vice president and chief financial officer at the global pharma firm, with responsibility for the company's worldwide financial organisation. MAP Pharmaceuticals has appointed a previous Merck & Co. employee to its board of directors. Bernard J. Kelley spent over 35 years at the company, where he served as president of the firm's manufacturing division among other roles. Kelley will sit on the board of the pharmaceutical company as it pushes forward with products based on its proprietary inhalation technologies. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals has named Lisa Evrén as the company's new CFO and senior vice president. Evrén joins the company from Amgen where she spent five years as vice president and treasurer, and previously worked for other large firms including pharmaceutical heavyweight, Pfizer. Evrén will take on the role as the biotech company progresses with clinical development plans for its autoimmune disease and cancer products.
