U.S. Operation Warp Speed's Slaoui joins newly formed drug developer as lead scientist

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals

16/02/2021 11:30

By Carl O'Donnell
    Feb 16 (Reuters) - Moncef Slaoui, formerly the chief
scientific adviser for the U.S. government's Operation Warp
Speed COVID-19 vaccine development program, has joined newly
formed Centessa Pharmaceuticals as its chief scientific officer.
    He will oversee and advise Centessa on its drug development
programs, which focus on areas including hemophilia, cancer and
kidney disease. Slaoui has been a partner since 2017 at Medicxi,
the investment firm that founded Centessa by merging 10 of its
portfolio companies.
    Slaoui resigned from his role as the chief adviser for
Operation Warp Speed in January but stayed on for about a month
to help the incoming Biden administration, media reports say.
    He managed the Trump administration's efforts to identify,
fund, and develop COVID-19 vaccine candidates. U.S. regulators
have so far authorized two vaccines for use and are expected to
authorize more in the coming months.  
    Slaoui previously headed research and development at
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd  GLAX.NS  and served as
chairman of its vaccines division.
    Centessa will be led by Chief Executive Officer Saurabh
Saha, who has previously a senior vice president for research
and development at Bristol Myers Squibb Co  BMY.N .
    Centessa will maintain independent research teams for its
various drug development programs, which Slaoui says will speed
progress and cut back wasted time and funding.
    The approach creates "more depth, more focus, and more
attention on the part of the scientists involved in the sense
that they have nowhere to hide," Slaoui said. 

 (Reporting by Carl O'Donnell; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
 ((Carl.ODonnell@thomsonreuters.com; 646-223-6629;))