Biogen CEO George A. Scangos Becomes PhRMA Board Chairman

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Board Meeting, new officers were elected to the board of directors. George A. Scangos, CEO, Biogen, was elected chairman of the PhRMA board. Joaquin Duato, worldwide chairman, pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson was elected chairman-elect and Joseph Jimenez, CEO, Novartis AG assumed the role of board treasurer.

Scangos formerly held the position of chairman-elect and succeeds Kenneth C. Frazier chairman and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc. as PhRMA board chairman.

"I am pleased to welcome Dr. George Scangos as PhRMA board chairman and thank Ken Frazier for his leadership over the past year," said PhRMA president and CEO, Stephen J. Ubl. "Our companies are committed to helping patients live longer, healthier lives and fostering the continued development of new treatments and cures for patients. As science and innovation rapidly evolves, George's experience as a scientist and researcher coupled with his proven leadership will be a great asset to PhRMA and our industry. Together, we look forward to advancing pragmatic, pro-consumer policies that ensure innovation reaches patients."

Dr. Scangos has served as CEO of Biogen since July 2010. He joined the company from Exelixis, Inc., where he served as president and CEO since October 1996. From 1987 to 1996, Scangos held various positions at Bayer, Inc., including senior vice president of research and development, and president of Bayer Biotechnology, where he was responsible for research, business development, process development, manufacturing, engineering and quality assurance of Bayer's recombinant products. Before joining Bayer in 1987, he was professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Scangos received a B.A. in biology from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts.

"We stand on the cusp of an amazing era of new medicines, better health and more affordable health care that will be enabled by those medicines," said Scangos. "To make this promise a reality, our industry must be a contributor to policy solutions that address the entire system of health care costs and the challenges faced by patients in accessing the care they need.  

"I am honored to take on this new role and to work with stakeholders across industry, government and academia to help develop creative policy solutions required to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful treatments for patients."

Joaquin Duato has served as worldwide chairman, pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, since January 2011. During his 27 year career at Johnson & Johnson, Joaquin has had experiences in sales, marketing and general management. Working across both pharmaceuticals and medical devices, he has held regional chairman roles and led local market businesses in multiple countries and regions. He is a member of the board of trustees for the international non-profit organization Save the Children. A native of Valencia, Spain, Duato holds an undergraduate degree in economics and master's degrees in business administration from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and in international management from Thunderbird in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Our medicines offer hope to patients all over the world," said Duato. "As we strive to innovate in our ability to conquer disease, we must continue to evolve and broaden patient access to the best treatments available. I look forward to furthering the work of our industry to bring new solutions and cures to patients."

Jimenez has been CEO of Novartis since 2010. He joined the company in 2007 as division head, Novartis Consumer Health and held the position of division head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals prior to the role of CEO. Previously, he served as president and CEO of the North American and European businesses for the H.J. Heinz Company and on the board of directors of Colgate Palmolive Co. and AstraZeneca PLC. He currently serves on the board of General Motors Co. Jimenez holds a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

"As our health care system continues to evolve, we must continue to focus on investment in research and development for the next generation of treatments for patients," said Jimenez. "We must maintain an environment where innovation can thrive to deliver the best value to patients."

About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $600 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $51.2 billion in 2014 alone.

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SOURCE Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

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