Photographer: Thos Robinson / Getty Images
Photographer: Thos Robinson / Getty Images
José Baselga, a renowned cancer doctor who led the oncology research and development arm of AstraZeneca Plc, died.
A member of the American Association for Cancer Research, Baselga died of Creuzfeldt-Jacob disease, a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder, according to a Spanish news report. He was 61 years old.
Baselga has been in charge of developing AstraZeneca’s anti-cancer drugs since CEO Pascal Soriot took advantage of it in 2019 to make the drug maker a leader in the lucrative field. The company invested nearly $ 7 billion that year in a Daiichi Sankyo Co. drug. that Baselga studied extensively at an American medical center.
“He set up our R&D role in Oncology in a remarkable track record,” Soriot said in a statement Sunday. “His visionary leadership, deep scientific experience and strategic vision have brought so many successes that we can all be proud of and that will benefit the lives of patients in the years to come.”
Baselga defended the company’s work with Daiichi-Sankyo in relation to the clinical development of two cancer drugs: Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and datopotamab deruxtecan. He led a team to accelerate science in antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapy, epigenetics, as well as new cancer treatments, the company said.
Baselga, who came to AstraZeneca with limited corporate experience, was a controversial choice. He had just quit his previous job as chief physician at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center after news that he had received payments from the pharmaceutical industry.
– With the assistance of John Lauerman