Eisai Announces New Executive Leadership Team at H3 Biomedicine

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Aug 30, 2021, 07:55 ET

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Aug. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai today announced that H3 Biomedicine (H3), its cancer genomics-based drug discovery subsidiary company located in Cambridge, Mass., has appointed a new executive leadership team. Ping Zhu, Ph.D., has been named President and Chief Scientific Officer, and will be responsible for the scientific strategy and business direction of H3. Ross Pettit will serve as Deputy President, a role in which he will oversee H3's business operations, compliance, human resources and business development functions.

"We are delighted to have Ping and Ross assume these key leadership roles within our global Oncology Business Group," said Terushige Iike, President of Eisai's Oncology Business Group. "Each are strategic and inspiring leaders who will help us build on the extraordinary momentum that this unique discovery center has achieved since its creation in 2011 as part of Eisai's efforts toward our vision for a world without cancer."

Dr. Zhu, who joined H3 in 2012 as Associate Director of Target Discovery & Genomics, most recently held the position of Head of Discovery & Research. During his tenure with H3, he has played a key role in the advancement of the company's drug discovery, IND-enabling and translational studies programs. Dr. Zhu's strategic leadership has been integral in three H3 oncology compounds reaching Phase I and Phase 2 clinical trials, and his scientific insights will be instrumental in helping the organization advance new therapies and progress H3's pipeline. His research has been published in leading scientific journals, including Cell, Nature, Cancer Discovery, Cancer Cell and Nature Communications.

Mr. Pettit, whose career at H3 started in 2018 as Vice President of Clinical Operations, has more than 30 years of drug development experience, during which he has assisted in bringing multiple new drugs to market across a number of therapeutic areas. He has held leadership positions with Otsuka, EMD Serono, Coley, ARIAD, AMAG, Infinity and Beigene. Mr. Pettit has worked in clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and alliance and portfolio management functions in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

"I am thrilled to take on this new role and looking forward to working with our colleagues for a new chapter and productive second decade of H3," said Dr. Zhu. "Our overarching goal remains the same: working to realize the promise of precision oncology to help patients with cancer live healthier, longer lives."

Dr. Zhu received his Medical Degree (Bachelor of Medicine, B.M.) from Shanghai Second Medical University, and his Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. His postdoctoral training was conducted at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of California San Diego. Prior to joining H3, Dr. Zhu was a group leader at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where he worked on early drug discovery and target identification and validation in oncology, leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple geographic locations.

Mr. Pettit earned is Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kingston, London.

About Eisai Inc.
At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families, and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs.

Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at www.eisai.com/US and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About H3 Biomedicine Inc.
H3 Biomedicine Inc., the U.S.-based precision oncology research and development subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., is solely focused on advancing drugs from bench to bedside. Uniquely positioned to integrate real-world clinical evidence with the latest advances in cancer genomics, H3 is developing a pipeline of highly targeted, breakthrough medicines that have the potential to impact the future of cancer care and treatment. Learn more at H3Biomedicine.com.

Media Inquiries
Patricia Councill
Eisai Inc.
201-746-2139

SOURCE Eisai Inc.