Doug Mendenhall, Ph.D. has been named interim head of Patheon's Pharmaceutical Development Services Unit and will also serve as interim chief scientific officer. Dr. Mendenhall is working under contract until a permanent president is named, but will be retained as an advisor to the company on an as-needed basis.

Dr. Mendenhall is a 35-year veteran in the pharmaceutical industry, having held executive positions at Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline and most recently, Merck. He has spent his career leading pharmaceutical and preclinical development teams with the development and commercialization of several blockbuster drugs.

"Doug brings a wealth of experience, maturity and strategic thinking to Patheon," said Wes Wheeler, chief executive officer and president. "With Doug on our Executive Committee, both leading the PDS unit and advising us on strategy, we will enable further strategic growth of our development services offering to clients. We look forward to Doug's leadership, as we continue our search for a permanent President."