Synta appoints Sanofi's Anne Whitaker as chief executive

Coming from her position as president of French drug major Sanofi's (Euronext: SAN) North American pharma division, Anne Whitaker has been named chief executive of Synta Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SNTA).

Keith Gollust, chairman of Synta, said:  “Anne brings a wealth of experience to Synta, gained over a distinguished career in executive roles with two of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies. Her knowledge and experience in business strategy, product development, regulatory affairs, leadership and organizational development and commercialization will be invaluable to the Company as we continue to advance ganetespib through late stage development.”

The company’s lead candidate ganetespib is now in trials for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Synta was founded 13 years ago but has not as yet brought any product to market. Ms Whitaker replaces the founder and chief executive Safi Bahcall who had been at the head of the company in 2009 when a trial of elesclomol in melanoma caused the share price to plummet as more patients died in the elesclomol died than those receiving the usual standard of care. Ganetespib has seen positive data from a midstage trial of the drug in breast cancer.