Biogen Names Priya Singhal as Executive Vice President, Head of Development

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced that Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H., currently Head of Global Safety and Regulatory Sciences and Interim Head of Research & Development (R&D), has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Head of Development, following a decision to separate Research and Development into two distinct functions that will both report directly to the CEO.

In addition, Biogen has initiated a search for a new Executive Vice President, Head of Research; Dr. Singhal will serve as interim head of Research until a new leader is named.

“Throughout her tenure at Biogen, Priya has demonstrated excellent leadership and judgement. In this new role, Priya will focus on delivering on our development programs while working closely with a new dedicated head of Research to strengthen Biogen’s translational science capabilities,” said Christopher A. Viehbacher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Biogen. “We believe having two dedicated leaders will enhance productivity in bringing to patients worldwide medicines to treat some of the most challenging diseases, while assuring better risk management and resource stewardship.”

Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H. – Dr. Singhal most recently served as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Safety and Regulatory Sciences and Interim Head of R&D at Biogen. She also had oversight of Japan and China R&D. Dr. Singhal rejoined Biogen in 2020, having previously led Biogen’s Global Safety and Benefit Risk Management as the interim co-lead and Senior Vice President of Global Development. In this role she managed the worldwide benefit-risk strategy for the portfolio as well as for the filings and approvals of six products. She joined Biogen in late 2012 as Vice President Clinical Trials and Benefit-Risk Management. Prior to her return to Biogen, Dr. Singhal served as Head of R&D and Manufacturing at Zafgen Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary knowledge of MetAP2 systems biology to develop novel therapies for patients affected by a range of metabolic diseases. From 2008-2012 she was at Vertex Pharmaceuticals where she served as the Vice President, Medical Affairs and held roles of increasing seniority in Global Patient Safety. She began her drug-development career at Millennium Pharmaceuticals where she led benefit-risk for Velcade and two compounds in the development portfolio.

Preceding her career in the biotechnology Industry, Dr. Singhal completed her M.P.H. in International Health at Harvard School of Public Health and obtained her training in Internal Medicine in Mumbai, India.

About Biogen
As pioneers in neuroscience, Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Sir Kenneth Murray, and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp. Today, Biogen has a leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, and developed the first and only approved treatment to address a defining pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Biogen is also commercializing biosimilars and focusing on advancing one of the industry’s most diversified pipelines in neuroscience that will transform the standard of care for patients in several areas of high unmet need.

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Biogen Safe Harbor 
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to: our strategy and plans; potential of, and expectations for, our commercial business and pipeline programs; capital allocation and investment strategy; clinical development programs, clinical trials, and data readouts and presentations; the expected benefits from Ms. Singhal’s appointment as Executive Vice President, Head of Development; and the expected benefits from the separation of Research and Development into two distinct functions. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “possible,” “prospect,” “will,” “would,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage clinical trials may not be indicative of full results or results from later stage or larger scale clinical trials and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements or the scientific data presented.

These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including: our dependence on sales from our products; uncertainty of long-term success in developing, licensing, or acquiring other product candidates or additional indications for existing products; failure to compete effectively due to significant product competition in the markets for our products; failure to successfully execute or realize the anticipated benefits of our strategic and growth initiatives; difficulties in obtaining and maintaining adequate coverage, pricing, and reimbursement for our products; our dependence on collaborators, joint venture partners, and other third parties for the development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of products and other aspects of our business, which are outside of our full control; the potential impact of the conflict in Ukraine; risks associated with current and potential future healthcare reforms; risks related to commercialization of biosimilars; risks relating to the distribution and sale by third parties of counterfeit or unfit versions of our products; risks relating to the use of social media for our business; failure to obtain, protect, and enforce our data, intellectual property, and other proprietary rights and the risks and uncertainties relating to intellectual property claims and challenges; the risk that positive results in a clinical trial may not be replicated in subsequent or confirmatory trials or success in early stage clinical trials may not be predictive of results in later stage or large scale clinical trials or trials in other potential indications; risks associated with clinical trials, including our ability to adequately manage clinical activities, unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data or analysis obtained during clinical trials, regulatory authorities may require additional information or further studies, or may fail to approve or may delay approval of our drug candidates; the occurrence of adverse safety events, restrictions on use with our products, or product liability claims; risks relating to technology failures or breaches; problems with our manufacturing processes; risks relating to management and personnel changes, including attracting and retaining personnel; failure to comply with legal and regulatory requirements; the risks of doing business internationally, including currency exchange rate fluctuations; risks relating to investment in our manufacturing capacity; the direct and indirect impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, and financial condition; fluctuations in our operating results; risks related to investment in properties; the market, interest, and credit risks associated with our investment portfolio; risks relating to share repurchase programs; risks relating to access to capital and credit markets; risks related to indebtedness; change in control provisions in certain of our collaboration agreements; fluctuations in our effective tax rate; environmental risks; and any other risks and uncertainties that are described in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this news release. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

MEDIA CONTACT: Biogen Jack Cox + 1 210 544 7920 public.affairs@biogen.com

INVESTOR CONTACT: Biogen Mike Hencke +1 781 464 2442 IR@biogen.com

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