BRIEF—Moderna lures J&J exec to be CMO

US mRNA specialist Moderna has announced that Dr Paul Burton will join the company as chief medical officer (CMO), effective July 6, 2021.

He will serve on Moderna’s executive committee and report to chief executive Stéphane Bancel.

Dr. Burton joins Moderna after spending 16 years with Johnson & Johnson.

Since March 2020, he served as chief global medical affairs officer of Janssen Pharmaceuticals where he was responsible for Janssen’s worldwide medical affairs strategy and execution.

Previously, he served as Janssen’s vice president and head, cardiovascular and metabolic (CVM) medical affairs.

“Paul’s extensive medical experience in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry will be important to Moderna as we expand internationally and continue our journey as a commercial company,” said Stéphane Bancel.

“As we work to deliver on the promise of mRNA science to create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients, Paul’s expertise across multiple therapeutic areas and his proven track record leveraging data science and digital technologies to reimagine medical engagement will be invaluable. I look forward to working with Paul and re-inventing how medical affairs should be built and run in a digital world,” he added.