Oscient Pharmaceuticals

Oscient Pharmaceuticals Corp. has named Philippe M. Maitre as senior vice president and chief financial officer. As a senior executive with more than 25 years experience at several leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical and CROs, Mr. Maitre brings significant U.S. and global finance and business management expertise to the company.

Mr. Maitre replaces Stephen Cohen, a 25-year veteran of Abbott Laboratories who is retiring after five years as chief financial officer at Oscient. Mr. Maitre has held positions across the globe for major pharmaceutical companies including Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Aventis (both now Sanofi-Aventis), with 10 years in leadership roles in finance for U.S. public companies. At Aventis, he served as deputy chief financial officer and corporate controller and earlier as corporate treasurer. Prior to his work at Aventis, Mr. Maitre spent several years in Asia and in Europe where he held positions of increasing responsibility at Rhone-Poulenc Group, including general manager, finance and planning for Japan, head of corporate financial communications and treasurer, healthcare division. Following his years at Aventis, Mr. Maitre was the chief financial officer for PPD, Inc. He also gained experience in the biotechnology industry as the president and chief executive officer of Anosys, Inc.