Change at the top of research for the Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche. The Swiss giant announces that the American John C. Reed, 54, will take up the position of Head of Pharma Research and Early Develop (pRed) as of April 2, and member of the enlarged executive committee.
Reed replaces interim pRed head Mike Burgess, who himself took over from Jean-Jacques Garaud last summer and has now decided to leave the company.
Reed will operate in Basel and report to CEO Severin Schwan. The Genentech Research and Early Development organization, based in the US in San Francisco, will not be affected by this change of management.
After training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, before arriving at Roche Reed was CEO of the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in La Jolla, San Diego, California. He is one of the world's leading biomedical researchers specializing in cancer, neuroprotection, autoimmunity and other diseases. Author of several hundred publications, he is among the most cited scientists internationally for his contribution to research. His resume includes hundreds of patents, the team continues. He is part of various editorial boards of scientific journals, as well as founder or co-founder of several biotechnology companies.
"I am honored to join Roche – says Reed – and to continue the superb legacy of developing new medicines to respond to the needs of patients". Thanking Burgess for his contribution, Schwan welcomes the new head of research "who led one of the top research institutes in the world. With his broad medical and scientific background", highlights the CEO, Reed "is ideally placed to drive Roche's strategy".
January 16, 2013 – Paola Olgiati – PharmaKronos
Editor's note: John C. Reed received 2011 $ 209,094 from Clovis Oncology Inc and Isis Pharmaceuticals, and also owns 3846 shares of Repros Therapeutics, Inc. [source: Forbes].
Severin Schwan, 45, managing director of De
