Roche Realigns R&D Focus

Roche is implementing a new operating model for its global R&D activities organized around Disease Biology Areas (DBA) that will cover R&D through to marketing. The Disease Biology Area Leadership Teams (DBLTs) will be co-located in Basel, Switzerland, Nutley, NJ and Palo Alto, CA.

The company’s R&D efforts will focus on clinically differentiated medicines for the following therapeutic areas: oncology, based in Nutley, virology and inflammation, based in Palo Alto, metabolism and central nervous system, based in Basel. Also, therapeutic protein research will be intensified at the Penzberg site in Germany, and in Shanghai, China.

This new model is part of an effort to ensure that the company’s R&D operation is equipped to meet increasingly complex requirements and to simplify and accelerate decision-making processes involved. It will also enable development projects to be integrated more quickly.

“Innovation and the creativity of our people will remain the basis of our success,” says Roche chairman and chief executive officer, Franz B. Humer. “We have significantly increased our investments in R&D over past years and will continue to do so. By combining existing expertise in Disease Biology Areas, we will further enhance the optimal conditions for bringing future innovations to fruition faster and more efficiently — with clear benefits for patients and doctors.”

The new model involves leadership changes in R&D. Jonathan Knowles, president of global research, will focus on his role as head of group research. In this role he will be in charge of coordinating research across Roche Pharmaceuticals, Roche Diagnostics, Chugai, Genentech and other partners.

Lee Babiss, currently research site head in Nutley, has been appointed to the position of head of Roche Pharma Research. This newly created role will focus on leading and managing research within Roche Pharma, including research sites in Basel, Nutley, Palo Alto, Penzberg and Shanghai.

Also, Eduard Holdener will retire at the end of 2007 and Jean-Jacques Garaud will take over as head of global pharmaceutical development. Mr. Garaud will report to William M. Burns. Until his retirement, Mr. Holdener will serve as chief medical officer with responsibility for drug safety and quality audit and for setting up the development Center in Shanghai.