AbbVie will wave goodbye to its president and vice chairman Michael Severino as he heads to Flagship Pioneering where he will serve as CEO-partner.
Severino spent eight years at AbbVie where he headed up efforts to build a strong pipeline for patients in the areas of hematologic oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president, and global development and chief medical officer at Amgen.
In his new role at Flagship Pioneering, Severino will head up a new Flagship company, soon to be announced and play “an instrumental role” in the company’s efforts to create innovations in human health, according to the firm.
Severino expressed his excitement as he steps into the new position in a statement from Flagship.
“I am thrilled to take on this role and partner with the high-caliber team of world-class scientists, technologists, and business executives assembled by Flagship Pioneering,” said Severino.
Flagship, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based life sciences company has been busy bringing in new blood this past week with other recent additions of top biopharma execs. Its portfolio of companies includes heavy hitters like Moderna.
Earlier in April, the company announced it was bringing in Michelle C. Werner and Margo Georgiadis to join as CEO-partners as well.
Werner comes from Novartis oncology where she served as worldwide franchise head of solid tumors for one year. Prior to that, she was at AstraZeneca for five years and worked in senior leadership positions including the global franchise head in hematology. She will serve as CEO of Alltrna, a Flagship company focused on tRNA in addition to her role as CEO-partner.
Georgiadis is the former CEO of Ancestry.com and most recently worked as an endurance partner at venture capital firm General Catalyst.
Other recent hires for Flagship include Tom DiLenge, senior partner, global policy, regulatory & governmental strategy; Vaithianathan Palaniappan, chief technology officer of pioneering medicines; Justine Levin-Allerhand, senior partner, corporate development; Kathy Biberstein, general counsel and executive partner; and Dr. Stephen Hahn, CEO-Partner and CEO of Harbinger Health, among others, according to Flagship.