GSK's oncology president joins NuCana board

Dr Paolo Paoletti, the president of oncology at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has joined the board of directors at Scottish biotech NuCana BioMed.

Dr Paoletti has been president of oncology as GSK since 2012 having joined the UK-based pharma company in 2005 as head of development in oncology.

During this time he has worked on major cancer products, such as Tykerb/Tyverb and Mekinist.

This experience will benefit Edinburgh-based NuCana as it prepares to advanced development of its pipeline of treatments for advanced solid tumours. This includes Acelarin, which is due to be investigated in 2014 for pancreas, ovarian and biliary cancers.

“We are truly delighted to welcome Paolo to our board,” said Hugh Griffith, NuCana's CEO. “His extensive clinical and commercial experience in oncology will be of enormous benefit to us as we refine our regulatory strategy and expand the clinical development programmes internationally.”

In addition to his ten years at GSK Dr Paoletti's experience in pharma includes a spell at Lilly where his roles included VP of clinical development for the company's oncology business.