Pfizer To Reorganize

Pfizer, as part of its strategy to improve growth, plans to reorganize its business units in an effort to better coordinate drug development and commercialization. These changes are part of chief executive officer Jeffrey Kindler’s plan to “establish smaller operating units that can enhance innovation and accountability, but will draw upon the advantages of scale and resources Pfizer offers,” said Raymond Kerins, a spokesman for Pfizer. The changes will take effect in January.
   
The reorganization will create three new units: primary care, specialty care and emerging markets. The primary-care unit will handle the drugs often prescribed by first-line doctors, such as the cholesterol treatment Lipitor. Specialty care will include drugs marketed to specialist doctors, such as anti-HIV drug Selzentry. The emerging-markets unit will handle the marketing of Pfizer drugs in emerging markets. The divisions will be responsible for drug development through sales and marketing. Research focused on the discovery of potential new drugs will continue to be handled by Pfizer’s R&D arm, which is led by Martin MacKay.
   
Each unit will be led by a general manager who will report to Ian Read, president of worldwide pharmaceutical operations. Pedro Lichtinger, previously Pfizer’s area president for European pharmaceuticals, will lead the new primary-care unit. Olivier Brandicourt will lead the specialty-care division. He was previously senior vice president of a unit focused on cardiovascular drugs. Jean-Michel Halfon will lead the new emerging-markets unit.
   
The reorganization plans do not include job cuts or changes to senior management, according to Mr. Kerins. The company previously created business units for oncology and established products. It also has an animal-health unit.