Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) has announced the appointment of Chris Boshoff, M.D., PhD, as its new Chief Scientific Officer and President of Research & Development, effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Boshoff, who most recently served as Pfizer’s Chief Oncology Officer and Executive Vice President, will succeed Dr. Mikael Dolsten, whose departure from the company was announced earlier this year. Dr. Boshoff will continue to be a member of Pfizer’s Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla, and will oversee all Research & Development functions across Pfizer’s therapeutic areas.
As part of the leadership transition, Pfizer’s Oncology R&D will maintain its integrated structure, with Dr. Roger Dansey, M.D., stepping in as Interim Chief Oncology Officer, reporting to Dr. Boshoff. Dr. Dansey will assist in the selection of a permanent Chief Oncology Officer before retiring and will also oversee the smooth transition of his responsibilities to Johanna Bendell, M.D., who will join Pfizer in 2025 as Chief Development Officer, Oncology.
“Dr. Boshoff is the perfect leader to advance Pfizer’s R&D efforts and further transform our organization into a world leader with a more focused strategy aimed at delivering breakthrough medicines with significant potential,” said Dr. Bourla. “Chris has a deep understanding of our pipeline and R&D structure and has an excellent track record of building teams and driving the development of groundbreaking therapies. Under his leadership, our Oncology division has become one of Pfizer’s most productive, and his continued guidance will ensure we maintain our leadership position in oncology and other core therapeutic areas.”
Over his 11 years at Pfizer, Dr. Boshoff has been instrumental in delivering 24 approved innovative medicines and biosimilars across more than 30 indications. Before becoming Chief Oncology Officer, he served as Chief Development Officer for Oncology and Rare Disease and previously held leadership roles in Development Japan across all therapeutic areas. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Boshoff was the founding Director of the University College London (UCL) Cancer Institute. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pretoria, his PhD from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, and trained as a medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden and Royal Free Hospitals. He is an elected Fellow of the U.K. Academy of Medical Sciences.
“I am honored to succeed Mikael and to lead a combined R&D organization that boasts world-class talent, proven success rates, and an exciting pipeline of medicines and vaccine candidates that will have a significant impact on global patient care,” said Dr. Boshoff. “I look forward to collaborating more closely with Albert, our leadership team, and the entire R&D organization to enhance Pfizer’s pipeline and productivity, ensuring we continue to advance the most impactful programs in areas of high unmet medical need.”
Dr. Roger Dansey, who joined Pfizer through its acquisition of Seagen, has served as Chief Development Officer for Oncology. At Seagen, he led clinical development efforts for PADCEV, TUKYSA, TIVDAK, and secured supplemental approvals for ADCETRIS. Prior to Seagen, he led Clinical Oncology Research at Merck and played a key role in the registration efforts for KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab).
Dr. Johanna Bendell, who will join Pfizer as Chief Development Officer for Oncology in 2025, is currently the Global Head of Oncology at Roche. She has previously held significant roles at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and has a strong academic background from Duke University Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bendell holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Chicago.
This leadership transition marks an exciting new chapter for Pfizer’s R&D division, with Dr. Boshoff poised to lead the company’s efforts to deliver groundbreaking treatments that address unmet medical needs globally.
