Bristol Names Sigal To Head R&D Following Death Of James Palmer

Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute President Elliott Sigal, MD, is taking the helm of Bristol's R&D efforts effective immediately, the company announced Oct. 28.

Sigal, formerly senior VP-global clinical & pharmaceutical development, was named president following the death of James Palmer, MD, on Oct. 26. Sigal had been tapped as acting research president several days earlier, after Palmer was hospitalized.

The unexpected transition is taking place at a time when Bristol is making progress with a relatively full pipeline.

Bristol recently filed an NDA for the hepatitis B therapy entecavir, and expects to file two more applications by the end of 2004: the diabetes agent muraglitazar and abatacept for rheumatoid arthritis (¹ (Also see "Bristol Is Not Bayer: Primary Care Strategy Is “Different, Not Exit”" - Pink Sheet, 20 Sep, 2004.), p. 29).

Several Phase II drugs should also be moving into Phase III shortly, including edifoligide for vein graft failure, ixabepilone for metastatic breast cancer, a DPP4 inhibitor for type 2 diabetes and LEA29Y for use in solid organ transplants.

On an Oct. 29 earnings call, Bristol said it will give a full update on its pipeline at a Nov. 17 analyst conference in New York.

Sigal "developed a close partnership" with Palmer in his previous position, CEO Peter Dolan said during the call. The two helped develop recently launched products including Abilify , Reyataz and Erbitux .

Sigal joined Bristol in November 1997 as VP-applied genomics. He was subsequently senior VP-early discovery & applied technology and head of drug discovery & exploratory development. His most recent appointment to the senior VP-global development post came in January 2002.

Palmer joined Bristol as R&D head in December 2002 after 17 years at GlaxoSmithKline. His career at Glaxo began in 1985 in the company's respiratory product development group. When he left GSK for Bristol in October 2002, Palmer was senior VP-new product development.

Palmer succeeded Peter Ringrose as head of R&D; Ringrose was recruited to Bristol with the mission of changing the company's almost complete reliance on in-licensed products.

As Sigal takes over the reins, Bristol is making significant progress towards that goal.

Under the leadership of Palmer, the company experienced one of its "most productive periods," Dolan said. "I expect we'll see the benefits of his contributions over the coming years as well."

"We are all deeply saddened as he was a beloved colleague, an outstanding leader and a trusted counselor," Dolan said.