Garry A. Nicholson has been appointed senior vice president, general manager of Pfizer’s newly created Oncology Business Unit. Reporting to Ian Read, president of Pfizer Worldwide Pharmaceutical Operations, Mr. Nicholson will serve as head of the company's oncology franchise, with direct responsibility for clinical development, medical affairs, commercial development, sales and marketing.
   
“Garry is a highly regarded and accomplished executive whose experience in the global oncology market makes him exceptionally qualified to lead this important new growth area for Pfizer,” Mr. Read said. “The oncology market is expected to grow significantly in the next decade. This is being driven by breakthrough science, the rapid uptake of new agents that meet high unmet medical need and treatments that are enabling cancer patients to live longer.”
   
Mr. Nicholson is a senior pharmaceutical executive with extensive experience in product development, marketing, sales and general management on a worldwide basis. He joins the company from Eli Lilly and Co., where he spent more than 10 years as executive director of the U.S. Oncology Business Unit and subsequently in an expanded role as Global Oncology Platform Leader. In the latter role, Mr. Nicholson was responsible for the global oncology franchise, including the oncology therapeutic area strategy, portfolio management, Phase II/III development, global integration of oncology medical and marketing strategies, regulatory submissions and approvals, and licensing and partnerships. Mr. Nicholson was also directly accountable for the company’s oncology drug development budget and review of country and regional forecasts and income statements. In addition, he played a key leadership role in business development and licensing initiatives in oncology. Under Mr. Nicholson’s leadership, Lilly’s global oncology sales exceeded $2.5 billion in 2007.