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Big Year Ahead For New Vir CEO De Backer

2023 Could Be Transformational For US Biotech

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Having played a pivotal role in changing pharma strategy at Bayer, Marianne De Backer tells Scrip about her goal to turn Vir into an infectious disease powerhouse as the firm prepares for critical Phase II data readouts in hepatitis B and D, as well as flu.

Marianne De Backer
Marianne De Backer • Source: Vir

Moving on after a stellar three years at Bayer AG, Marianne De Backer had plenty of CEO job offers but the lure of returning to the infectious disease space to lead Vir Biotechnology, Inc. proved too strong to resist.

At the end of January, De Backer was unveiled as the successor to biotech industry veteran George Scangos at Vir, joining from Bayer where she had been global head of pharma strategy, business development and licensing/open innovation

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