C-suite

BioNTech’s leadership transition was announced earlier this year, with CEO Ugur Sahin and CMO Özlem Türeci leaving to start a new mRNA company. Guido Oelkers of Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB will take over as CEO in early 2027.
After leaving Tessera Therapeutics earlier this month, Michael Severino will take over Sarepta Therapeutics as the biotech awaits two key regulatory decisions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
About two months into CEO Belén Garijo’s new tenure, Sanofi’s R&D chief has departed, with Xaira’s chief medical officer set to take charge of the pharma’s pipeline.
From Eli Lilly’s David Ricks to Pfizer’s Albert Bourla, the top five highest paid CEOs made a combined $157.8 million in 2025.
FDA
Fallout from the resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary continues as several other senior regulators are removed from their posts; pharma’s top paid CEOs make up to 358 times more than their employees; Revolution Medicine’s pancreatic cancer results highlight movement in the deadly disease space; more.
BioSpace analyzed the pay ratio across 10 major pharmaceutical companies to determine which CEOs were paid the most relative to typical employees. J&J, Eli Lilly and Pfizer once again topped the list.
FDA
It’s official: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary is out at the FDA after reports of his ouster emerged late last week; Sanofi is reportedly having challenges with one of the FDA’s new signature programs; and biopharma CEOs’ multimillion-dollar salaries ticked up again this year. Who made the most in 2025?
Three pharma CEOs joined the $30 million compensation club in 2025 but Eli Lilly’s David Ricks exceeded his nearest peer by more than $4 million.
In Salt Lake City, biotech founders new and seasoned reflect on ways to ride out the industry’s challenges, such as sending cold emails to investors and learning to address leadership weaknesses.
Amylin drugs have become the next big thing in obesity. Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks, understandably, thinks his rivals don’t have a chance for one key reason.
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