US biotech company Biogen has named Michael Parini as chief legal officer, replacing Susan Alexander, who departed the company at the end of May.
Parini joins from Spur Therapeutics, where he was CEO. He brings more than two decades of senior legal and strategic leadership experience in the biopharma and biotech industry. At Biogen he will oversee the company’s global legal and compliance functions and serve on its executive committee.
He will take up his new role on 3 August.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen is focused on creating treatments and therapies in areas including Alzeheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, kidney disease, lupus and spinal muscular atrophy, among others.
Christopher Viehbacher, president and CEO at Biogen, said: “Michael brings to Biogen a rare combination of deep legal and industry expertise as well as broad operational leadership that will further contribute to Biogen’s next chapter of renewed growth.
“He has dedicated his career to leadership across the biopharmaceutical industry, which includes successful navigation of the complex legal and business challenges that are involved in advancing new discoveries through the development and commercial landscape.”
Parini arrives after five years at Spur Therapeutics, initially as chief operating officer before becoming CEO. He was previously chief legal, administrative and business development officer at biotech firm Vertex Pharmaceuticals for five years.
Before that he spent 12 years at Pfizer, latterly as its chief litigation counsel. He started out in private practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
Alexander, meanwhile, announced her intention to depart Biogen back in March. She had been with the company for just over 20 years as its legal chief, having had earlier in-house roles at biopharma company Parexel International and legacy Irish software company IONA Technologies (both as general counsel) and chemicals company Cabot Corporation (as counsel).
She started out in private practice at defunct Boston firm Fine & Ambrogne before moving to Hinckley Allen & Snyder as a partner.
In other recent biopharma and biotech moves, back in April respiratory disease specialist Avalyn Pharma hired Adam Golden as GC from Freshfields, while the same month US biopharma company Ardelyx hired Felecia Ettenberg as CLO from Bristol Myers Squibb.
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