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J&J’s Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels Announces Retirement
Paul Stoffels, who spearheaded the development of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, will retire at the end of 2021.
Johnson & Johnson recently announced that Paul Stoffels, MD, current vice-chairman of the executive committee and chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson, will retire at the end of 2021.
“It has been an honor and privilege to spearhead Johnson & Johnson’s innovation agenda and propel transformational innovation to deliver years of life and quality of life to millions of people around the world,” Stoffels said in the announcement.
“As a physician and a scientist, it is gratifying to see the healthcare landscape transformed as we unlock the best science and technology to deliver innovative medicines to solve the world’s toughest health challenges,” he continued.
During his time at Johnson & Johnson, Stoffels helped the company shift its research and development paradigm and played a crucial role in collaborations, including licensing key medicines and the acquisition of Crucell and Actelion.
Stoffels also helped establish Johnson & Johnson Innovation, a network of hotspots globally to access the best technology through partnerships, licensing, acquisitions, incubation, and investments.
Specifically, he led the development of over 25 new medicines across multiple therapeutic areas. Seven of these medicines are on the Essential Medicines List of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Stoffels also helped advance key global health policy objectives and was crucial in discovering TransCelerate Biopharma, the Dementia Discovery Fund, and other collaborations aimed at speed solutions to patients.
His main focus was finding treatment for HIV, Tuberculosis, and Ebola. But most recently, he led the development of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine within a record time frame.
“Paul is an exceptional human being, inspiring people every day. His remarkable capability of bringing a vision and a mission to life, and his commitment to improving and saving lives globally, pulled the organization forward and generated a huge impact on global health and on the trajectory of Johnson & Johnson,” Alex Gorsky, current chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson, concluded.
