Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced that after a comprehensive internal and external selection process, the company is appointing Chris Boshoff, M.D., PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Boshoff, who most recently served as Chief Oncology Officer and Executive Vice President, will succeed Dr. Mikael Dolsten whose departure from Pfizer was announced earlier this year. In his new role, Dr. Boshoff will remain a member of Pfizer’s Executive Leadership Team reporting to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Albert Bourla, and he will oversee all functions of Research & Development across all therapeutic areas.
Pfizer’s Oncology R&D organization will maintain its fully integrated structure with Roger Dansey, M.D. serving as Interim Chief Oncology Officer, reporting to Dr. Boshoff effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Dansey will assist Dr. Boshoff in selecting a permanent Chief Oncology Officer, after which time he will retire from Pfizer. He will also facilitate a smooth transition of his current responsibilities to his successor, Johanna Bendell, M.D. who will be joining Pfizer from Roche in 2025 as Chief Development Officer, Oncology.
“Dr. Boshoff is the ideal leader to propel Pfizer’s R&D engine forward and transform it into a world-leading organization with a more focused strategy, driving the delivery of additional impactful breakthrough medicines with blockbuster potential,” said Dr. Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Chris has a compelling vision for the future of R&D at Pfizer and deep knowledge of our entire pipeline and R&D organization that positions him well to succeed. He has an impressive record of building strong teams and delivering numerous breakthrough medicines. Under Chris’ leadership, Oncology has become one of Pfizer’s most productive divisions and his continued supervision will ensure that we achieve our goal of being a global leader in oncology and other core therapeutic areas.”
During Dr. Boshoff’s more than 11 years at Pfizer, he has delivered an impressive 24 approved innovative medicines and biosimilars in more than 30 indications. Prior to becoming Chief Oncology Officer, Chris served as Chief Development Officer for Oncology and Rare Disease, and he also previously served as Head of Development Japan across all therapeutic areas. Before assuming leadership roles in the biopharmaceutical industry, Dr. Boshoff served as founding Director of the University College London (UCL) Cancer Institute. He earned his medical degree from University of Pretoria in South Africa, a doctorate Ph.D. from the Institute of Cancer Research in London and trained as a medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden and Royal Free Hospitals in London. He is an elected Fellow of the U.K. Academy of Medical Sciences.
“I am honored to be succeeding Mikael and to be taking on leadership of a combined R&D organization that includes world-class talent and capabilities, industry leading success rates and cycle times, and a promising pipeline of innovative medicines and vaccines candidates poised to have a tremendous impact for patients globally,” said Dr. Chris Boshoff. “I look forward to working even more closely with Albert, our executive leadership team, and our entire R&D organization to take Pfizer’s pipeline and productivity to the next level. I am confident that we can build on our long history of successes and drive even deeper focus on advancing the most impactful programs in areas of high unmet medical need that will have a meaningful impact on patients worldwide.”
After joining Pfizer through the Seagen acquisition, Dr. Roger Dansey has served as the Chief Development Officer, Oncology. At Seagen, he served as Chief Medical Officer since 2018 and interim CEO in 2022, leading clinical development efforts for PADCEV, TUKYSA, and TIVDAK, as well as securing supplemental approvals for ADCETRIS. Previously, he led Clinical Oncology Research at Merck, overseeing KEYTRUDA® i (pembrolizumab) registration efforts.
Dr. Johanna Bendell is currently Global Head of Oncology, Pharma Research and Early Development at Roche. Previously, she held significant roles at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, including Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology Research and Chief Development Officer. She also held positions at Duke University Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. Johanna holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Chicago. Her medical training includes a residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an oncology fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
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