Merck is looking for stability at the top of its human health business after turnover in the past year.
Frank Clyburn, who most recently served as president of the human health business, last month announced he would depart to take the CEO role at IFF, a New York-based maker of ingredients for food, fragrances and health products.
Clyburn hadn’t yet served a year in the position. He took over in March 2021 from Michael Nally, who himself left for a CEO job at another company.
The New Jersey-based drugmaker has been rebuilding its leadership team after the departure of long-time CEO Kenneth Frazier and research chief Roger Perlmutter in 2021. While the company is conducting an external search for its new Human Health International chief, its other choices show a willingness to promote from within.
Garay has been with the company since 2006 and previously led pharmaceutical global marketing, commercial analytics and digital marketing. Oosthuizen, who formerly helmed Merck’s business in Japan as well as oncology operations in the Asia Pacific and Latin America, has worked at the company since 2014 after a two-decade career at Eli Lilly.
Khanna, meanwhile, has been at Merck since 1988, working his way up from field sales to top roles in the oncology business. The three executives will assume their human health posts as of Feb. 28. They will sit on the executive team and report directly to CEO Robert Davis, Merck said.
By Kristin Jensen
Source: biopharmadive.com
Giovanni Caforio, the former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, is set to become the next board chairman of Novartis, which on Tuesday proposed the pharmaceutical industry veteran as its pick to replace Joerg Reinhardt in the role next year. Reinhardt has served as Novartis’ chair since 2013 and plans to retire when his 12-year term ends in 2025.
GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on two ultrasound systems equipped with artificial intelligence programs designed to assist in diagnosing conditions in women’s health, including obstetric exams. The Voluson Signature 20 and 18 imaging systems include AI tools capable of automatically identifying and annotating measurements of fetal anatomy.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry have revealed a new sustainable method of manufacturing complex molecules that could reduce waste produced during drug production. The method published in Nature Chemistry could help to prevent severe side effects caused by drugs that can exist as enantiomers.
