Scientist Andy Plump steps in at Takeda as R&D chief

Chutes and Ladders

Welcome to this week's Chutes and Ladders, our roundup of hirings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good word--or the bad--from your shop to Michael Gibney (email | Twitter) or Amirah Al Idrus (email | Twitter), and we will feature it here at the end of each week.

Scientist Andy Plump steps in at Takeda as president

The new president at Takeda has raided Sanofi for its head of global R&D. And they're putting their new top scientist in Cambridge, MA, which is becoming the world headquarters of drug research for much of the pharma industry. Andrew "Andy" Plump has been lured to the top job at Takeda research after completing a stint as SVP of research and translational medicine at Sanofi ($SNY), where he worked in Paris. Plump, though, has deep roots in Cambridge, where he got his B.S. at MIT before getting his M.D. at UC San Francisco and a Ph.D. at Rockefeller University. After his education, he worked as a VP of cardiovascular at Merck ($MRK). More | Release

Takeda
Andy Plump became the new president.


Vertex
David Altshuler joined as CSO.

Biotech

> A little more than four years ago Thomson Reuters selected David Altshuler, the deputy director and chief academic officer of the legendary Broad Institute, as one of the world's "hottest" researchers. And this week Vertex ($VRTX) announced that he'll be bringing the heat to the Boston biotech as its new CSO, taking the place of pioneering Peter Mueller. News

> Euclid Systems named Dr. Michael Ross as its CEO. Release

> Claritas Genomics selected Patrick Terry to serve as chief commercial officer. Release

> Sir Richard Sykes was appointed to PDS Biotechnology's board as executive chairman. Release

> Daniel Paterson was named as Verastem's ($VSTM) chief operating officer. Release

> Dr. Rogerio Vivaldi joined Spark Therapeutics as the company's chief commercial officer. Release

> Genentech R&D chief Richard Schellar will retire at the end of this year, to be replaced by Michael Varney, who is currently the company's small molecule drug discovery leader. Release

> Biova named Matt Stegenga its new president and Craig Rowles as its chief operating officer. Release

> Ipsen ($IPN) hired François Garnier to be its new executive vice president and general counsel. Release

> Applied Proteomics appointed Steve Martin to be its chief financial officer. Release

> Stephen Harrison joined Relypsa ($RLYP) as the company's senior vice president and chief scientific officer. Release

> Genocea ($GNCA) appointed Eric Hoffman as its chief business officer. Release

> Dr. Barbara Troupin joined Apricus Biosciences ($APRI) as the company's chief medical officer. Release

> Lion Biotechnologies named Elma Hawkins its president, CEO and director. Release

> TG Therapeutics ($TGTX) appoints Kenneth Hoberman, COO of Stemline Therapeutics, to its board of directors. Release

> United Therapeutics ($UTHR) is promoting Roger Jeffs from executive vice president and COO to co-CEO, to serve alongside current CEO Martine Rothblatt, who will become co-CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2015. Release

> IMS Health ($IMS) has appointed Mason Tenaglia as vice president, payer and managed care insights, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. Release

> Anne Phillips joins Trevena's ($TRVN) board of directors. Release

> Russell Ray joins Merrimack Pharmaceuticals' ($MACK) board of directors. Release

> Inovio Pharmaceuticals ($INO) appoints Dr. Zane Yang as vice president, clinical development, oncology. Release

Pharma

> Aurora Algae brought on Paul Angelico as its president and CEO. Release

CRO

> SRI International named Luther Lau as its chief financial officer. Release

Diagnostics

> Vermillion ($VRML) has appointed current COO Valerie Palmieri as CEO and president, effective Jan. 1, 2015. Current CEO and Chairman of the Board James Lafrance will continue to serve as chairman. Release