BeiGene’s hematology chief medical officer is hitting the exit. Almost six years after joining BeiGene, Jane Huang, M.D., has handed in her resignation shortly after the replacement of her solid tumor counterpart.
Huang will continue in the role until early next month, beyond which she will work with BeiGene as a consultant until mid-November. The consulting arrangement positions BeiGene to continue to benefit from the input of Huang as it heads toward a series of events involving clinical trials that started under her watch.
BeiGene has an Oct. 22 PDUFA action date for its bid to win FDA approval for BTK inhibitor Brukinsa in adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. Updated top-line data from the ALPINE trial BeiGene is using to try to win approval are due in the second quarter, and results from a phase 2 trial in follicular lymphoma are expected to drop by the end of the year.
Huang will be available to BeiGene on a consultancy basis as it works toward those events, but it will need to find a new person to oversee the next stage of its hematology development strategy. BeiGene is yet to discuss its plans to replace Huang.
Huang arrived at BeiGene in 2016 on the back of a stint at Acerta Pharma, now part of AstraZeneca, in which she worked on acalabrutinib, the BTK inhibitor now sold as Calquence. The spell at Acerta burnished a reputation Huang built up during a decade at Roche’s Genentech.
News of Huang’s impending exit comes shortly after a change on the solid tumor side of the business. Mark Lanasa, M.D., Ph.D., formerly of AstraZeneca, replaced Yong Ben, M.D., as chief medical officer for solid tumors last month.