Dr. Steve Yang has joined WuXi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX) as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Yang’s high-profile background combines deep knowledge of biopharma R&D in China and global pharma experience. For the past three years, he has been Vice President and Head of Asia and Emerging Markets iMed at AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN), based in Shanghai. Before that, he spent 10 years at Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), also in Shanghai, as head of Asia R&D. Dr. Yang is a co-founder of BayHelix, an elite group of China-American biopharma executives, and one of several returnees or "sea turtles" who is changing the face of the pharmaceutical industry in China.

Edward Hu, who was previously COO and CFO, will become WuXi’s Chief Investment Officer and continue as CFO.

In his three years at AstraZeneca, Dr. Yang transformed the mission of AstraZeneca Innovation Center China, according to the press release. WuXi said that Dr. Yang and his team delivered AstraZeneca's first preclinical drug candidate discovered in China, strengthened translational science capabilities, established research outsourcing strategic partnerships, and facilitated a series of scientific collaborations in China, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, and Korea.

As CIO, Hu will be responsible for companywide investments, including strategic investments in new businesses, corporate venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. He has been WuXi’s Chief Operating Officer since January 2008 and as Chief Financial Officer since February 2009. He spearheaded efforts to build many of the company's new businesses, including biologics, toxicology, genomics, and clinical trial services in China, as well as the formation of their venture capital fund. He led the acquisition and integration of AppTec, Abgent, and MedKey. He also created and has managed WuXi's joint ventures with MedImmune to co-develop an innovative biologics product in China, and with PRA to create a clinical CRO in China that meets the highest international standards.

"I'm very pleased that Steve has joined WuXi as our Chief Operating Officer, and that Ed will assume additional responsibilities as our Chief Investment Officer," said Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WuXi PharmaTech. "It is heroic efforts of leaders like Ed, with determination to build the best technology, science and capability platform to serve our customers, that have brought WuXi to where we are today. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Ed, Steve, our WuXi leadership team and all of our WuXi colleagues to continue our mission to build the best R&D platform to enable anyone and any company to discover and develop healthcare products to benefit patients." 

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Disclosure: ChinaBio® has a business relationship with WuXi PharmaTech.