Rajiv Patni has been appointed as executive vice president and chief medical officer at Portola Pharmaceuticals, effective immediately. The company announced the appointment in a press release, stating that Patni will report to Scott Garland, president and chief executive officer, and will be responsible for leading clinical development, clinical operations, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, biometrics, pharmacovigilance, and data management.
According to the company statement, Patni has contributed to eight approvals during his career across multiple therapeutic areas, including cardiology and neurology, in both established and growing companies. Before joining Portola, Patni was chief medical officer at Adamas Pharmaceuticals. Prior to Adamas, Patni was chief development officer at Ocera Therapeutics. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in clinical development and medical affairs in Actelion Pharmaceuticals (US affiliate), Roche, and Pfizer.
“I am excited to join Portola at this pivotal time of growth,” says Patni. “The company is uniquely positioned with the first and only reversal agent for Factor Xa inhibitors, a large and rapidly growing class of medications. I am eager to contribute to Portola’s mission and further enhance awareness of the potential life-saving benefits and value of Andexxa.”
Scott Garland, Portola’s president and chief executive office, says. “[Patni] will focus on leading our postmarket clinical studies, including label expansion, along with driving our European regulatory activities. These are key elements of our long-term growth strategy, and we look forward to his leadership in strengthening our healthcare community engagement in the USA and Europe, further establishing the clinical and economic differentiation of Andexxa.”
Portola Pharmaceuticals is a global, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of novel therapeutics in the fields of thrombosis and other haematologic conditions. Jeff Myers, who has served as Portola’s interim chief medical officer since May 2019, will continue in his role as the company’s senior vice president of medical affairs.
