On January 4, 2022 Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) reported the appointment of Vicki L. Goodman, M.D., as Executive Vice President, Product Development & Medical Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer (Press release, Exelixis, JAN 4, 2022, View Source [SID1234598030]). Dr. Goodman has more than 20 years of oncology experience as a drug development leader at global biopharmaceutical organizations, regulator and clinician. She joins Exelixis from Merck, where she served as Vice President, Clinical Research and Therapeutic Area Head, Late Stage Oncology; her previous tenures in the biopharmaceutical industry include clinical development leadership positions at Bristol Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Goodman joins Exelixis as the company continues to maximize the clinical potential of CABOMETYX (cabozantinib), its global oncology franchise, while rapidly advancing its pipeline of promising investigational small molecules and biologics to treat cancer.
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"With her track record of targeted therapy and immunotherapy drug development success at the global biopharma level, as well as her experience as an FDA reviewer and hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Vicki Goodman is ideally positioned to be Exelixis’ next Chief Medical Officer," said Michael M. Morrissey, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Exelixis. "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Goodman to Exelixis as we execute on the ongoing CABOMETYX phase 3 pivotal trials, expedite late-stage clinical development of XL092, our next-generation oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and advance an exciting clinical pipeline of small molecules and biologics, including XB002, our first antibody-drug conjugate."
As Exelixis’ CMO, Dr. Goodman will lead Exelixis’ clinical development and medical affairs functions, leveraging experience gained throughout her varied career. While at Merck (2020-2021), she was responsible for overseeing key elements of the company’s late-stage development portfolio, including KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) and other late-stage assets, in thoracic malignancies, head and neck cancers, breast and gynecologic cancers, and hematology. Prior to joining Merck, Dr. Goodman served at Bristol Myers Squibb for five years, during which time she was a member of the company’s Oncology Senior Leadership Team. Initially, as Vice President Development Lead (2015-2017), she managed the cross-functional team developing OPDIVO (nivolumab)/YERVOY (ipilimumab) for melanoma and genitourinary tumors, which included collaborating with Exelixis on the design of the CheckMate -9ER trial. In 2017, she was promoted to Vice President and Head, New Asset Development Teams, a role that included oversight of teams advancing a variety of assets between proof of concept and approval. Previously, from 2007 to 2015, Dr. Goodman served in roles of increasing responsibility at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), including as Project Physician Leader for dabrafenib from phase 1 expansion through regulatory approval, as well as Lead Physician in GSK’s cancer epigenetics unit, where she was responsible for development strategy and clinical oversight for several assets initially entering clinical development.
"With a global oncology franchise in CABOMETYX, a growing clinical pipeline of novel small molecules and biotherapeutics – including the company’s first antibody-drug conjugate – and ambitious plans to pursue new mechanisms, therapeutic modalities, and disease settings, Exelixis is at an inflection point," said Dr. Goodman. "I’m excited to draw on my extensive drug development and regulatory affairs experience, as well as my clinical training, to lead Exelixis’ talented Product Development and Medical Affairs teams toward even more progress on the company’s mission to help cancer patients recover stronger and live longer. I am also deeply honored to succeed Dr. Gisela M. Schwab, a trailblazing clinical development professional and biopharma executive, in the role of Chief Medical Officer."
Dr. Goodman will be based in the Greater Philadelphia area. As part of her role overseeing the company’s product development operations, she will play a leadership role in building a new Exelixis team that will expand the company’s development activities on the East Coast. Exelixis’ East Coast presence will complement the company’s strong and growing West Coast development team and enable the company to move even faster on behalf of patients, including by laying additional groundwork for potential future growth outside the United States. Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1994, Exelixis has called California home since 1997, and it will continue to maintain and expand its global headquarters and oncology drug development activities in Alameda. Exelixis will share more information on its East Coast plans as they evolve over the course of this year.
Prior to entering the biopharmaceutical industry, from 2004 to 2007 Dr. Goodman was a Medical Officer in the then-Division of Drug Oncology Products, part of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Before that, from 2001 to 2004 she completed a clinical fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she also undertook her internship and residency. Dr. Goodman obtained her M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and her B.A. in Biochemistry with Honors from Rutgers University.