john_mchutchison

New Chief Science and Medical Officers for Gilead

pharmafile | March 19, 2018 | Appointment | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing Gilead, appointment 

Gilead has announced that Dr Norbert Bischofberger, its Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), Executive Vice President of Research and Development and a veteran of almost 30 years at the company, will be leaving his position at the end of April. He will be succeeded by Dr John McHutchison (pictured), who will step up from his current role as Executive Vice President of Clinical Research to assume the mantle of CSO as well as responsibility for Gilead’s R&D organisation.

Joining the company in 1990, Dr Bischofberger has overseen the development of over 25 compounds during his time with Gilead.

“There are few people across the entire biopharmaceutical industry who have had the kind of impact Norbert has had on transforming the treatment of serious diseases, or who have demonstrated his depth of understanding of and caring for the needs of people living with those diseases,” said Gilead’s Chief Executive Officer Dr John Milligan. “I have worked alongside Norbert for nearly three decades, and I know I speak for the entire Gilead organisation in expressing my profound thanks to him for what he has done to build this company and to change the lives of so many individuals around the world. We wish him all the best in the next phase of his professional career.”

Dr McHutchinson has been with the company since 2010 and has driven the development of five chronic hepatitis B and C treatments which Gilead says have been received by almost two million patients worldwide. He has previously served at the Duke University Medical Center in a range of roles including Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, co-Director of the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Award, and most recently, Associate Director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute. Previous to this, he also served for almost a decade at Scripps Clinic, most recently as Medical Director, Liver Transplantation.

Discussing his selection to fill the role vacated by Dr Bischofberger, Dr Milligan added: “John is an extraordinary physician and a visionary leader. The work he has led in the field of viral hepatitis is clear evidence of his capabilities, and we are excited to have him bring the same energy and focus to his new role. I am confident that John’s leadership and his deep clinical and scientific expertise will allow Gilead to advance the promising compounds in our pipeline and drive the kind of innovative research and development programmes that have been a hallmark of our history and will help us build for the future.”

Gilead also announced the appointment of current Executive Vice President, Clinical Research & Development Operations, Dr Andrew Cheng, will become the company’s new Chief Medical Officer in April. He has been with the firm since 1999, leading its development of HIV/AIDS treatments.

“Andrew has demonstrated tremendous vision and leadership over nearly two decades at Gilead, building a world-class organisation that is able to advance experimental products through clinical development and regulatory approval with industry-leading speed,” added Dr Milligan. “Gilead will benefit from Andrew’s clinical and scientific expertise in his new role, as he assumes oversight of post-approval studies that are vital to better understanding the company’s more than 20 approved products and their potential to help a greater number of patients with life-threatening illnesses.”  

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