3 August 2018 No. 3916 Scripscrip.pharmaintelligence.informa.com Pharma intelligence | informa at Genentech Inc. (Also see “GSK Bags Bar- ron As R&D Boss As Vallance Joins UK Govern- ment” - Scrip, 8 Nov, 2017.) With a budding early immuno-oncology pipeline, Walmsley clearly has her eye on establishing GSK as an important player in the space. The event in London was Barron’s first op- portunity to present his R&D strategy and coincided with the company’s second quar- ter sales and earnings release. “This is an ideal time to be thinking about reinventing R&D, because we are doing well. We are growing,” Barron said. PILLARS FOR INNOVATION Investors have been eager to hear from the R&D legend, but with few near-term catalysts or big changes to the late-stage pipeline, they may be underwhelmed by the update. Barron, meanwhile, is focused on deliver- GSK’s Big Reveal: ing scientific and cultural changes that will yield breakthroughs over the long-term. An R&D Overhaul Poised To Yield He talked about a time horizon of 2021 to 2026, and he talked more high-level, rather than specifics, about incentives needed to Long-Term Cultural Change drive innovation, the technologies that can JESSICA MERRILL
[email protected] help improve clinical trial success, and cul- tural changes. He said science, technology laxoSmithKline PLC CEO Emma pharma R&D – is that investors will need to and culture are the three pillars needed to Walmsley may have spelled out the be patient to see GSK deliver on its promise drive innovation, and all three must be in Gbig pharma’s R&D turnaround plan of innovation.