Asia Executives To Watch: New FDA China Director Named Amid ICH Push

The US FDA has sent its country director from Peru to build a closer relationship with the China FDA, while the CFDA's own medical device center is also going through a series of leadership changes.

The US FDA has been quietly stepping up its efforts to work more closely with its Chinese counterpart, the China FDA, the latest move being the appointment of a new director to China, Julio Salazar, who succeeds Leigh Verbois.

Verbois took over the position two years ago, during which the relationship between the two agencies has become closer. (Also see "FDA Tip-Toes In China To Push Data Integrity, Harmonization" - Pink Sheet, 25 May, 2017.)

Salazar was formerly the FDA country director for Peru, based in Lima, and before that, he worked at the FDA's Southwest Import District, based in Texas.

With the recent move by China to join the ICH regulatory harmonization initiative, it appears likely that even closer collaboration between the CFDA and its global counterparts will be needed.

Verbois' predecessor Chris Hickey now works for Pfizer Inc. as the senior director of Public Affairs, Asia Pacific, but it is not known whether Verbois will also join the private sector or take another position somewhere at the FDA.

CFDA

Meanwhile, the CFDA has a new director of its Center for Medical Device Evaluation (CMDE), Sun Lei. In a series of other new appointments at the center, other new CMDE officials have been named as follows:

Name	New Position	Bureau
Wu Kun	Deputy office administrator
Wu Jianxiong	Deputy Director	General Business
Liu Zhitao	Deputy Director	General Business
Yang Pengfei	Deputy Director	Review Div. 1
Peng Liang	Deputy Director	Review Div. 1
Guo Zhaojun	Deputy Director	Review Div. 2
Zhao Peng	Deputy Director	Review Div. 3
Chen Maobo	Deputy Director	Review Div. 3
Liu Yinghui	Deputy Director	Review Div. 4
Guo Yajun	Deputy Director	Review Div. 4
Yang Xiaodong	Deputy Director	Review Div. 5
Dong Jingcun	Deputy Director	Review Div. 6
Lv Yunfeng	Deputy Director	Review Div. 6

(Source: CFDA)

Companies

Biopharma incubator and investment firm ShangPharma Innovation (SPI) has announced the appointment of Peter DiLaura, Ravi Kiron, Krishna Kodukula, and Robert Wild to its founding Executive-In-Residence (EIR) team.

Per the company, the team will provide expert advice on business, scientific, and strategic development of biomedical initiatives, including the identification and assessment of novel opportunities for early-stage equity investments, and new venture incubator tenants at SPI's South San Francisco facility. They will also participate in the negotiation and management of collaborations, licenses, and partnerships.

David Harrison has started a new position as Business Development Lead at C4X Discovery Holdings PLC. He was previously the Senior Business Development Consultant at Mundipharma International Corp. Ltd.

Investment

Lijun Peng has become the Managing Director, Healthcare at China eCapital Corporation. Peng was formerly Director of business development at Luye Pharma Group Ltd., and later became the deputy general manager in the international department at Zhongfa, a domestic conglomerate.

From the editors of PharmAsia News.