Celgene's Robert J. Hugin Becomes PhRMA Board Chairman; Ian C. Read, Kenneth C. Frazier Assume New Posts

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Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

Apr 12, 2013, 11:30 ET

SAN DIEGO, April 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Robert J. Hugin, chairman and CEO of Celgene Corporation, was elected chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) today at the trade association's annual meeting. Also elected were Ian C. Read, president and CEO of Pfizer Inc, as chairman-elect of the PhRMA Board of Directors, and Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman, President and CEO of Merck & Co, Inc., as Board treasurer.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091027/PHRMALOGO)

Mr. Hugin succeeds John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., chairman, president, and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, as PhRMA's chairman.

"John Lechleiter's tireless leadership over the past year has helped to reinvigorate the biopharmaceutical research sector at a time when a challenging public policy environment threatens to put America's global leadership in medical innovation at risk," said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani. "As Bob Hugin assumes the chairmanship, I know he will continue to emphasize the importance of patient-centered policies that properly value medicines, incentivize innovation and provide a strong foundation for the millions of U.S. jobs our industry creates and supports."

Mr. Hugin became CEO of Celgene Corporation in June of 2010 having served as president and chief operating officer since May 2006. In June 2011, the Celgene Board of Directors elected Mr. Hugin chairman. He was instrumental in the strategic growth of the company, overseeing the expansion of Celgene from a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company to a global company with operations in more than 50 countries located in the Americas, Europe, Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. He joined Celgene as senior vice president and chief financial officer in June 1999 and was elected to the Board of Directors in December 2001.

"I look forward to working with our leadership team, the PhRMA staff, and our member companies to advocate for policies that support the advancement of medical innovation and that ensure access for patients to life-extending therapies," Mr. Hugin said.  "Through our actions, we must ensure that continued medical innovation is part of the solution to healthcare costs and economic growth in the long term."

Mr. Read is the chairman and CEO of Pfizer. He began his career with Pfizer in 1978 as an operational auditor. Mr. Read worked in Latin America through 1995, holding positions in a number of Pfizer's international operations. In 1996, he was appointed president of Pfizer's International Pharmaceuticals Group, with responsibility for Latin America and Canada. He became executive vice president, Europe in 2000, and was named a corporate vice president in 2001. In 2006, he became senior vice president, Pfizer, and group president of the Worldwide Biopharmaceutical Businesses.

"The biopharmaceutical industry's efforts to discover and develop innovative new medicines not only has a significant impact in saving and improving lives, but is also an essential driver of the broader economy," Mr. Read said. "PhRMA is committed to working with policymakers, elected officials and our members to develop the right policy framework that supports innovation that results in creating value for society by enhancing productivity and improving the quality of life globally."

Mr. Frazier is chairman, president and CEO of Merck & Co. Previously, he served as president of Merck with responsibility for the company's three major divisions: Global Human Health, Merck's sales and marketing division for pharmaceutical and vaccine products; Merck Manufacturing, the company's manufacturing and supply division; and Merck Research Laboratories, Merck's research organization. Mr. Frazier received his bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

"Congratulations to my colleagues who have made many outstanding contributions to healthcare and our industry through their work with PhRMA. I look forward to continuing my work with PhRMA to ensure that patients and caregivers benefit from the many scientific advances that the pharmaceutical industry has to offer," said Mr. Frazier.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading innovative biopharmaceutical research and biotechnology 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 approximately $550 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $48.5 billion in 2012 alone.

Find PhRMA Online:

For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: http://www.innovation.org

For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: http://www.pparx.org

For information on ensuring the flow of medicines during public health emergencies, visit http://www.rxresponse.org

SOURCE Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America