Ironwood Pharmaceuticals names AstraZeneca veteran Mark Mallon as new CEO
pharmafile | January 7, 2019 | Appointment | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | AstraZeneca, CEO, Ironwood, Sweden, mark mallon
The Cambridge, Massachusetts pharma firm Ironwood Pharmaceuticals has announced the appointment of AstraZeneca veteran Mark Mallon in preparation for the splitting up of the company which is scheduled for 2019.
Mallon, who brings with him more than 24 years’ worth of experience to the role, will head Ironwood, as the company’s CEO. While Ironwood will be focused on gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, the split will see the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) biotechnology business Cyclerion Therapeutics spin off from Ironwood in order to increase its focus on the development of five sGC stimulators targeting the treatment of serious and orphan diseases. Cyclerion will be headed by Ironwood’s co-founder Peter Hecht who has served as the firms CEO since 1998.
Mallon joins Ironwood from a 24 year stint at the Anglo-Swedish multinational AstraZeneca, where he held a variety of senior executive positions. He most recently served as a member of the pharma giant’s executive committee as executive vice president of global product and portfolio strategy leading global marketing, commercial operations, pricing and market access, medical affairs and corporate affairs for AstraZeneca’s $18 billion pharmaceutical business.
Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Mallon graduated with a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a M.B.A. in marketing and finance from the Wharton School of Business.
Peter Hecht commented: “I am thrilled that Mark is joining as Ironwood’s CEO at this pivotal juncture, and I look forward to cheering on him and his team as they build an industry-leading GI business. I am working closely with Mark, our board and our entire management team to complete the separation that we believe will create two focused companies poised for long-term growth and well positioned to help patients and create value for shareholders.”
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