JDRF Welcomes David E. Wheadon, M.D. as New Executive Vice President of Research and Advocacy

NEW YORK, May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- JDRF announced today its new executive vice president of research and advocacy, David E. Wheadon, M.D. Dr. Wheadon brings 26 years of experience as a highly effective leader in drug development and translational research, regulatory and medical affairs, and patient advocacy. In this new position, he will work closely with JDRF's president and CEO, Jeffrey Brewer, and the senior leadership of JDRF's research and advocacy teams, overseeing all aspects of the organization's efforts to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of life-changing therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

"After conducting an international search for candidates to fill this important new role for JDRF, we found a perfect match in Dr. Wheadon's distinguished medical and research background, his deep knowledge of the regulatory process, and his demonstrated ability to build alliances and manage teams," Mr. Brewer said.

Dr. Wheadon joins JDRF's leadership team after serving as senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. There, he provided strategic leadership in setting the scientific and regulatory advocacy agenda for the biopharmaceutical industry, and built and strengthened collaborative alliances.

A graduate of Harvard College with a doctor of medicine from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Wheadon has worked in leadership roles with major pharmaceutical companies, including: vice president of global pharmaceutical regulatory and medical sciences at Abbott Laboratories; senior vice president of U.S. regulatory affairs at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals; and clinical research physician at Eli Lilly, where he was integral to the successful development and approval of several important drugs for central nervous system diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and diseases in other therapeutic areas.

Mr. Brewer continued: "Dr. Wheadon's broad exposure to industry, government, the Food and Drug Administration, academia, and influential policy and decision makers—along with his world-class research training and credentials—cover all the aspects of the translational research pipeline where JDRF works today. Under his leadership, we look forward to expanding JDRF's capabilities and increasing our emphasis on exciting translational opportunities that hold the most promise to improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes in the next decade, on our way to a future where this disease is spoken about in the past tense."

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF's goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people's lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.

As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. In 2012 alone, JDRF provided more than $110 million to T1D research. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. In 2012 Forbes magazine named JDRF one of its five All-Star charities, citing the organization's efficiency and effectiveness.

For more information, please visit jdrf.org.

SOURCE JDRF