Sanofi Names Zerhouni Research Head, Replacing Cluzel
Sanofi-Aventis SA named Elias Zerhouni head of research and development, replacing Marc Cluzel, a further step in Chief Executive OfficerChris Viehbacher’s reorganization of France’s biggest drugmaker.
Zerhouni, 59, a former head of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, will start his new job on Jan. 1, Paris-based Sanofi said in an e-mailed statement today. Zerhouni was last year appointed scientific adviser to Viehbacher. In his new role, he will report directly to the CEO and also oversee Sanofi’s vaccines division.
“I have had the privilege of working with Elias for a long time,” Viehbacher said in today’s statement. “Through his vast experience and visionary approach, he has provided excellent advice and insight and has been central in implementing what is now one of the most promising R&D models in health care.”
The 50-year-old CEO has been criticizing Sanofi’s research and development operations since taking over in December 2008. He shut down plants and eliminated some experimental medicines to focus on the most promising projects. He also started looking outside Sanofi’s own labs for products to sustain sales growth as older drugs such as the blood-thinner Plavix and the cancer treatment Eloxatin face generic competition.
Sanofi last year paid $500 million for BiPar Sciences Inc., a U.S. developer of a treatment for breast and lung tumors, and is trying to take over Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Genzyme Corp., the world’s largest maker of medicines for rare genetic disorders.
Shares Rise
Sanofi shares rose 63 euro cents, or 1.3 percent, to 49.63 euros in Paris trading today, giving Sanofi a market value of 65 billion euros ($87 billion).
Zerhouni is a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he spent his academic career. He is a senior fellow of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and on the board of trustees of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Lasker Foundation in New York. He received the Legion of Honor medal from the French National Order in 2008.
“I have been impressed by the spirit and dedication of all the colleagues I have worked with within the company” over the past 18 months, Zerhouni said in today’s statement. “I am honored to be given the opportunity to join them in making sure that, here at Sanofi-Aventis, we discover and develop the most important therapies to alleviate the pain and suffering of patients around the world.”
‘Work in Progress’
Viehbacher said Sept. 30 that even after downsizing operations and reshuffling the jobs of most people, Sanofi’s research and development was “still a work in progress” and that it would probably “take a number of years to get it right.”
Cluzel, 55, remained at the helm of research and development after Viehbacher’s arrival and worked to implement the overhaul.
Sanofi last week said that Wayne Pisano, head of the company’s vaccine division, will retire and be replaced by Olivier Charmeil, currently the head of operations in Asia.
To contact the reporters on this story: Phil Serafino at pserafino@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Phil Serafino at pserafino@bloomberg.net
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