Weekly Highlights: Novartis and UCB Leadership Shuffles; Nationwide Hospital Inspection Launched
NeuroGen Pharma
Neurological Disorders and Analgesia New Drug Developer
GSK
Pharmaceutical R&D Manufacturer
Qilu Pharmaceutical
Specialty Formulations and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Developer
"Weekly Highlights"
"Weekly Highlights" is a column launched by Siqi Club to summarize the major events in the pharmaceutical industry on a weekly basis, covering the latest policy updates, news, pharmaceutical finance, drug approval progress and other industry-related content.
Personnel Changes
HUMAN RESOURCES
Novartis China Changes Leadership
According to a report by "Global Times" on May 14, Herber, President of Novartis International Business Division, announced:
Effective June 1, Ingrid Zhang (Zhang Ying), currently President of Novartis China, has been appointed as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Novartis International, leading the Novartis Commercial Launch Strategy (CLS) team.
Leo Lee, current president of Novartis Japan, has been appointed as the president of China, while Keizo Miyazawa will serve as the interim president of Novartis Japan during the transition period, overseeing Japanese operations.
UCB Restructures Leadership Team
According to the news from "PharmaHealth" on May 7, UCB is restructuring its leadership team:
Fiona du Monceau will join the Executive Committee as Executive Vice President of Patient Evidence;
Emmanuel Caeymaex, current Executive Vice President and Head of Immunology and the U.S., will serve as Chief Commercial Officer;
Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Iris Loew-Friedrich will retire from UCB later in 2024;
Chief Scientific Officer Dhavalkumar Patel will retire from UCB at the end of June 2024. Alistair Henry, the current head of UK research, will take over as Chief Scientific Officer and join the Executive Committee.
Former President of Simcere Pharmaceutical Takes Office at CBC Group
On May 11, CBC Group's official WeChat account announced new senior executive appointments, including Feng Honggang, former president of Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, who was appointed as Managing Director of CBC Group's post-investment operations management team.
Policy Brief
POLICY
Nationwide Hospital Inspection Launches
On May 11, the first launch meeting of the 2024 National Healthcare Security Fly-in Inspection was held in Zhengzhou, Henan, marking the official start of the nationwide inspection. According to the national fly-in inspection work plan, on-site inspections in other provinces and cities will also be completed successively by the end of September. In 2024, while achieving full coverage across all provinces in China for the national fly-in inspection, the scope of sampled cities has been further expanded—each province will now inspect two cities instead of one per year, with the provincial capital cities being mandatory for inspection.
Pharmaceutical News Updates
PHARMA
Novo Nordisk: Wegovy Patients Maintain Weight Loss for Over 4 Years
According to the latest data, patients taking Novo Nordisk's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy experienced an average weight loss of 10% four years after starting treatment.
GSK's AIDS Drug Approved for Marketing in China
GSK's HIV Drug Specialist Joint Venture ViiV Healthcare Announces Recent Approval by China’s National Medical Products Administration of Cabotegravir Sodium Tablets and Cabotegravir Injection. This therapy is the first to prevent HIV infection without the need for daily medication.
Qilu Pharmaceutical's Bendamustine Approved for Marketing by China's National Medical Products Administration
According to the official website of the National Medical Products Administration, Qilu Pharmaceutical's anti-tumor drug, Bendamustine Hydrochloride Injection Concentrate, has been approved for marketing. This product is the first domestically produced version to be approved for marketing in China and is also considered to have passed the consistency evaluation.
Pharmaceutical Finance
BUSINESS
Takeda Pharmaceutical Reaches Agreement to Develop Alzheimer's Vaccine
Takeda Pharmaceutical Reaches $2.2 Billion Deal to Develop Alzheimer’s Vaccine from Swiss Startup AC Immune
€580 Million Upfront! Sanofi Acquires a Pipeline
On May 13, biopharmaceutical company Fulcrum Therapeutics (hereinafter referred to as "Fulcrum") announced a collaboration and licensing agreement with Sanofi for the development and commercialization rights of the investigational new drug Losmapimod. Fulcrum will receive an upfront payment of $80 million (approximately 580 million RMB), and is also eligible to receive potential milestone payments of up to $975 million, as well as tiered royalties on sales of the drug outside the United States.
Baili Tianheng Plans HKEX IPO
On the evening of May 13, Baili Tianhe announced that the company is in discussions with relevant intermediaries regarding the issuance of H shares and the listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Currently, related matters are still under consideration, and specific details about the H share issuance have not yet been determined.
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