Roy D. Baynes, MD, PhD, to join Gilead Sciences as Senior Vice President, Oncology Therapeutics

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced that Roy D. Baynes, MD, PhD, will join the company as Senior Vice President, Oncology Therapeutics. In this position, Dr. Baynes will report to Norbert W. Bischofberger, PhD, Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer and will have responsibility for Gilead’s programs in oncology. Dr. Baynes will also join Gilead’s Executive Committee.

“Roy’s appointment reflects our commitment to building a leading oncology research and development program, and I am very pleased to welcome him to the Gilead team,” said Dr. Bischofberger. “Roy has an extensive background in clinical practice, academic research and in cancer drug development. Under his leadership, we are well positioned to advance our growing number of pipeline programs targeted at both hematological malignancies and solid tumors.”

Dr. Baynes joins Gilead from Amgen, where he served as Vice President, Global Development and Therapeutic Area Head Hematology Oncology. He led the Clinical Development and Medical Affairs teams responsible for the approval and/or launch of numerous hematology and oncology products over the last decade. Prior to joining Amgen in 2002, Dr. Baynes was the Charles Martin Professor of Cancer Research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he also held the positions of Professor of Medicine, Professor of Oncology and Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program.

“I’ve long admired Gilead’s scientific approach and am excited to join the company at a time when it is rapidly building its presence in oncology through acquisitions and innovative partnerships,” said Dr. Baynes. “Cancer research is an incredibly challenging and evolving field, but one with great opportunity and I look forward to working closely with the internal team and external collaborators as we seek to develop novel cancer therapies that address significant unmet medical needs.”

Dr. Baynes received his medical degree and doctorate in philosophy from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and completed his medical training in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Johannesburg Hospital. He is a member or fellow of several medical societies and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts.