The company said that it will establish a new research model designed to advance the strong scientific capabilities of both Pfizer and Wyeth and to support the new company’s nine diverse healthcare businesses. At the senior-most level of the organization, Pfizer will retain eight senior executives from Wyeth who will join the company post-closing.
To maximize new opportunities in biopharmaceutical research, Pfizer will form two distinct research organizations. The PharmaTherapeutics Research Group will focus on the discovery of small molecules and related modalities and will be led by Martin Mackay, who now leads Pfizer Global R&D.
The BioTherapeutics Research Group will focus on large-molecule research, including vaccines, and will be led by Mikael Dolsten, who currently serves as president of Wyeth Research. Both Dr Dolsten and Dr Mackay will serve as presidents of their respective organizations and members of Pfizer’s executive leadership team, and both will report to Pfizer’s chairman and CEO Jeff Kindler.
In addition, Emilio Emini, who currently heads Wyeth’s vaccine research and development, will join Pfizer as chief scientific officer of vaccine research, and Menelas Pangalos, who currently serves as Wyeth’s head of discovery, will join Pfizer as chief scientific officer of neuroscience research. Specialty care and vaccines will be led by Geno Germano, currently president of Wyeth’s US and pharmaceuticals business units.
Ian Read, currently president of worldwide pharmaceutical operations for Pfizer, will become group president of Pfizer biopharmaceutical businesses, and remain a member of the executive leadership team reporting to Mr Kindler. Jim Connolly, currently Wyeth’s executive vice president and general manager of vaccines, will join the specialty care and vaccines business unit as president of vaccines, reporting to Mr Germano. He will lead an integrated vaccine business comprising marketing, sales and medical affairs, which will align closely with the vaccine research group led by Dr Emini.
Cavan Redmond, currently president of Wyeth’s consumer healthcare business, will become group president of Pfizer diversified businesses, join Pfizer’s executive leadership team and report to Mr Kindler.
Mr Kindler said: “We look forward to welcoming these new colleagues and I am confident Pfizer will be strengthened by the addition of many other exceptional Wyeth scientists and business leaders. They will join Pfizer colleagues with whom they share a commitment to delivering the full potential of the Pfizer-Wyeth combination to patients, customers and investors.”