LEO Pharma has appointed two new senior managers as part of its newly aligned UK and Ireland affiliate.

Mike Williams will lead the Dermatology division and Barbara Reilly joins to take charge of the Thrombosis division.

Geraldine Murphy, affiliate Managing Director, said the two “bring extensive experience” to the company and would be “central in our efforts to deliver innovative care solutions” to patients.

The experienced Mike Williams has worked within the industry for more than a decade at Roche, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Schering-Plough. Barbara Reilly joins from the Irish affiliate of LEO Pharma, where she served as Country Manager.

Dr Roger Perlmutter will return to MSD after he was appointed Executive Vice President and President of Merck Research Laboratories (MRL).

He returns 12 years after he departed for Amgen and will succeed Dr Peter Kim, who will retire in August this year.

Kenneth Frazier, Merck Chairman and CEO, called Dr Perlmutter a “world-calls physician-scientist” who has a “proven track record” in leading large research organisations.

Prior to joining Amgen in 2001, Dr Perlmutter served as executive vice president of worldwide basic research and preclinical development after initially joining as senior vice president in February 1997.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to return to Merck and to lead MRL,” said Dr Perlmutter. “Throughout my career, as both a physician and a scientist, I have drawn inspiration from Merck’s unwavering commitment to scientific excellence. Over time, this commitment has brought forth an unparalleled number of breakthrough medicines and vaccines that improve the lives of patients around the world.”

He will start his new role on April 15 and work closely with Dr Kim until his retirement.

The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) has appointed Neil Churchill as its first Director of Patient Experience.

Mr Churchill joins from Asthma UK, where he has served as Chief Executive since 2007. He is also currently a Non-Executive Director in NHS South of England.

Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer, NHS CB, said the new recruit has a “fantastic amount of experience” and he will be a “great addition to the skilled and experienced staff we currently have.”

In his new role, Mr Churchill will be responsible for ensuring patient experience is at the heart of the system, to provide leadership for patient experience across the NHS and to take leadership responsibility for improvement of domain four of the NHS outcomes framework (patient experience).

“I am delighted to be joining the NHS Commissioning Board at this time of change, when there is real commitment and drive to put the patient at the centre of decision-making,” commented Mr Churchill. “We need to make sure that every patient receives safe, compassionate care but we also have the opportunity to forge a new partnership with patients which can improve productivity as well as health outcomes.”

Prior to joining Asthma UK, Churchill worked for a number of organisations in the voluntary sector, including Barnardo’s, Age Concern and Crisis.

The NHS Confederation has appointed Michael O’Higgins as its new chair.

Mr O’Higgins replaces Sir Keith Pearson who departed in June 2012 to take up a similar position with Health Education England.

The new chair said he has “long admired the work of the NHS Confederation” and is “excited about making the most of this position to speak on behalf of the NHS.”

He joins the Confederation with immediate effect after leaving as chair of The Pensions Regulatory. Mr O’Higgins has previously held similar high-profile roles at the Audit Commission and the Treasury Group Audit Committee.

Mike Farrar, NHS Confed Chief Executive, said the new recruit is a highly respected figure following his work within the NHS and local government. “His extensive knowledge of the health and social care sector means that he will be invaluable in developing our relationships right across the wider care sector.”

Dr Gary J Nabel has been appointed Sanofi’s new Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and Deputy to the President for Global R&D.

He joins from the US National Institutes of Health, where he served as Director of the Vaccine Research Centre of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for more than 13 years.

Dr Elias Zerhouni, President, Global R&D, Sanofi, said he was “very excited” that Dr Nabel had decided to join the company.

In his new role, Dr Nabel will be responsible for analysing and coordinating Sanofi’s scientific direction for biopharmaceuticals and vaccines with the aim to improve translational approaches throughout the business.

He will lead the evaluation of the company’s scientific quality of projects and programmes across its entire R&D and assist in creating Sanofi’s overall strategy.

“I am honoured and excited to join Dr Zerhouni and the Sanofi team”, said Dr. Gary Nabel. “By strengthening our scientific base, we hope to accelerate the rational development of innovative treatments that will save lives and improve human health.”

The new Chief Scientific Officer will begin his role on 3 December 2012.

Christopher Viehbacher, Sanofi’s CEO, has been selected by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) as its new president elect.

He will replace the outgoing Sir Andrew Witty in June 2013 and serve a two-year term.

Mr Viehbacher said he was “extremely honoured” by the designation which comes during the “midst of a crisis” in Europe.

The trade body’s new president has served as CEO of Sanofi since 2008 and also chairman of Genzyme since it was acquired by the French pharmaceutical company in 2011. He also served in a similar role as chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) between December 2010 and April 2012.

“There’s a virtuous economic cycle of investing in education and then research and innovation,” said Mr Viehbacher. “The challenge Europe is currently facing is about managing to reduce government deficits and debt without smothering the opportunity for growth; to make sure that relevant pro-growth, pro-innovation strategies can be activated.”

Richard Bergström, EFPIA’s Director General, said the new president is “well placed” to take over the leadership of the group. “At this time, it is important to remind ourselves and others what is needed to sustain research based pharmaceuticals in Europe,” he said. “Chris was involved in the high-level group G10 Medicines and has shown his ability to engage with policy-makers world-wide. I look forward to working with him.”

EpiCept Corporation has appointed US pharmaceutical veteran Dr Alan Dunton to its Board of Directors and named him Non-Executive Chairman.

Dr Dunton replaces Bob Savage – who will remain as a director – with immediate effect after serving in a number of senior positions within the industry.

Jack Talley, EpiCept’s President and CEO, called Dr Dunton a “seasoned pharmaceutical executive” and said the company was delighted to have attracted him to the role.

The founder of Danerius, LLC, Dr Dunton is currently a director at Targacept, Inc., Palatin Technologies and Oragenics, Inc. Previously he served as President and CEO of Panacos Pharmaceuticals between 2007 and 2009 and served Metaphore Pharmaceuticals in a similar role from 2003 to 2005.

Prior to that he was a Senior Executive within the Pharmaceuticals Group of Johnson & Johnson, during which time he was the President of The Janssen Research Foundation where he was responsible for the development and regulatory activities for Levaquin, Topamax and Risperdal.

Mr Tally added: “Given the recent success with the FDA regarding the future of AmiKet in neuropathic pain, the Board believes that his business leadership and deep experience in clinical development and regulatory issues makes him highly qualified to lead the Board in its oversight and governance as EpiCept seeks to create the greatest possible shareholder value leveraging its product portfolio.”

Amgen’s Chairman and CEO, Kevin W. Sharer, will retire from the company at the end of next year after two decades of service at the pharmaceutical company.

Mr Sharer will step down as CEO in May 23^rd 2012 but remain as Chairman until December 31^st 2012 when he will leave the board and the company. Robert Bradway, current President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Mr Sharer as CEO.

Vance Coffman, Chairman of the Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee, says the departing Mr Sharer leaves the company “well positioned for the future”.

Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Roger Perlmutter, will also retire from his position on February 12^th 2012. Dr Sean Harper will succeed him and report to the new CEO.

“Today Amgen announces its next generation of leaders as we pass the reins to Bob Bradway and Sean Harper,” said the out-going Kevin Sharer. “Amgen will be in good hands.”

Robert Bradway joined Amgen in 2006 as a vice president in operations. He was appointed CFO a year later and names President and Chief Operating Officer in 2010. He worked for Morgan Stanley for nearly two decades before joining the company.

Dr Harper joined in 2002 and has held leadership roles in early development, medical sciences and global regulatory and safety. 

Amgen’s Chairman and CEO, Kevin W. Sharer, will retire from the company at the end of next year after two decades of service at the pharmaceutical company.

Mr Sharer will step down as CEO in May 23^rd 2012 but remain as Chairman until December 31^st 2012 when he will leave the board and the company. Robert Bradway, current President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Mr Sharer as CEO.

Vance Coffman, Chairman of the Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee, says the departing Mr Sharer leaves the company “well positioned for the future”.

Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Roger Perlmutter, will also retire from his position on February 12^th 2012. Dr Sean Harper will succeed him and report to the new CEO.

“Today Amgen announces its next generation of leaders as we pass the reins to Bob Bradway and Sean Harper,” said the out-going Kevin Sharer. “Amgen will be in good hands.”

Robert Bradway joined Amgen in 2006 as a vice president in operations. He was appointed CFO a year later and names President and Chief Operating Officer in 2010. He worked for Morgan Stanley for nearly two decades before joining the company.

Dr Harper joined in 2002 and has held leadership roles in early development, medical sciences and global regulatory and safety.

Amgen’s Chairman and CEO, Kevin W. Sharer, will retire from the company at the end of next year after two decades of service at the pharmaceutical company.

Mr Sharer will step down as CEO in May 23^rd 2012 but remain as Chairman until December 31^st 2012 when he will leave the board and the company. Robert Bradway, current President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Mr Sharer as CEO.

Vance Coffman, Chairman of the Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee, says the departing Mr Sharer leaves the company “well positioned for the future”.

Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Roger Perlmutter, will also retire from his position on February 12^th 2012. Dr Sean Harper will succeed him and report to the new CEO.

“Today Amgen announces its next generation of leaders as we pass the reins to Bob Bradway and Sean Harper,” said the out-going Kevin Sharer. “Amgen will be in good hands.”

Robert Bradway joined Amgen in 2006 as a vice president in operations. He was appointed CFO a year later and names President and Chief Operating Officer in 2010. He worked for Morgan Stanley for nearly two decades before joining the company.

Dr Harper joined in 2002 and has held leadership roles in early development, medical sciences and global regulatory and safety.