Spectrum appoints chief medical officer

Dr Lee Allen has joined cancer-focused Spectrum Pharmaceuticals as chief medical officer.

Dr Allen will lead the development of the US-based biotech's pipeline of products, including its investigational cancer drug belinostat, which is due to be filed for approval in mid-2013.

The appointment is a return to oncology for Dr Allen following a six-year spell as chief medical officer at AMAG Pharmaceuticals – the developer of Feraheme (ferumoxytol) for the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease.

Prior to this period, he spent four years at Wyeth from 2003 to 2007, serving as VP of clinical R&D for oncology.

Earlier in his career, he also spent time as executive director, site therapeutic area leader for oncology at Pfizer and medical director of oncology and immunology at BASF's Knoll Pharmaceuticals.

"I am very excited to join Spectrum, which I believe has a very promising portfolio of late-stage compounds," said Dr Allen.

"The company has the prospect of being able to introduce two to three new anti-cancer products by 2015 or 2016.”

Dr Allen's predecessor as chief medical officer, Dr Steve Fruchtman, will remain at Spectrum in the newly created role of senior VP, haematology and oncology R&D.