Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Darren Incorvaia or Zoey Becker and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
Former CBER chief Marks leaps to Lilly
Eli Lilly
Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., the former head of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), has joined Eli Lilly as senior vice president of molecule discovery and head of infectious disease. Marks served as CBER chief for nearly a decade until butting heads with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy. Marks was forced out of the FDA earlier this year, with his last day being April 5. In his resignation letter (PDF), Marks wrote that he hoped the “unprecedented assault on scientific truth” would end “so that the citizens of our country can fully benefit from the breadth of advances in medical science.” Story
OSE swaps out CEO
OSE Immunotherapeutics
Nicolas Poirier, Ph.D., will no longer wear two hats at French biotech OSE Immunotherapeutics. After stepping up to the CEO plate in 2022 while also continuing in his original role of chief scientific officer, Poirier’s CEO position was terminated and handed over to experienced biotech founder and investor Marc Le Bozec. Bozec will fill in as interim CEO while OSE searches for a permanent replacement, but, until then, the new CEO is to spearhead a “strategic evaluation” of the company’s business and operations. Through the review, the company looks to eventually secure a “bright future” by realigning its strategy, Board Chairman Markus Cappel, Ph.D., commented. Poirier, meanwhile, is staying on board as chief scientific officer, a title he’s held since 2016. Release
Dolsten settles into board chair at cancer biotech
TRIO Pharmaceuticals
Former top Pfizer scientist Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., is bringing his expertise to a preclinical biotech developing new antibodies for cancer. TRIO Pharmaceuticals has welcomed Dolsten as chairman of the board and independent director, with hopes of tapping his experience as it works to advance its TRAILBody antibody platform. Dolsten spent more than 15 years at Pfizer, leading the Big Pharma’s research efforts as chief scientific officer and president of R&D. Release
> Stoke Therapeutics locked in on Vertex vet Ian Smith as its permanent CEO, calling off the search after Smith initially took over on an interim basis from former longtime chief Edward Kaye, M.D., in March. Release
> Highly decorated and renowned physician-scientist Brian Berman, M.D., Ph.D., is stepping into the role of interim chief medical officer at BPGbio, succeeding Vijay Modur, M.D., Ph.D. Release
> Theolytics is adding experienced oncologist and drug developer Matilde Saggese, M.D., to its roster as chief medical officer amid ongoing studies of its lead asset in ovarian cancer. Release
> Fresh off of a $30 million funding round, Lumen Bioscience is spotlighting its newly appointed independent director, former Microsoft exec and Gates Foundation CEO Jeff Raikes. Release
> Jefferson River Capital is floating toward the biopharma sphere with its Jefferson Life Sciences, a new investment firm that will see industry vet Laura Lande-Diner, Ph.D., manning the ship as managing partner. Release
> Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., the former director of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was fired from her position three weeks after filing a whistleblower complaint. Story
> Antibody developer FairJourney Biologics has found a new CEO in Werner Lanthaler, Ph.D., who previously led Evotec for 15 years. Release
> Francesco Di Marco, Ph.D., is taking the reins of Milan-based Italfarmaco from outgoing CEO Carlos Barallobre Jan. 1 as part of a structured leadership transition. Release
> Zymeworks is seeking pipeline support from new acting Chief Development Officer Adam Schayowitz, Ph.D., who will help advance the Canadian biotech’s portfolio and forge new partnerships in a part-time role. Release