GSK Bags Barron As R&D Boss As Vallance Joins UK Government

UK pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline has nabbed a high-profile figure from Google's Calico to head up its research efforts. Barron's oncology pedigree from his time at Roche suggests that cancer is again a core area for GSK.

Escalators
One in, one out: Hal Barron will take over from Patrick Vallance as GSK R&D president • Source: Shutterstock

GlaxoSmithKline PLC has pulled off a coup by poaching renowned cancer specialist and former research chief at Genentech Hal Barron from Google-backed Calico Life Sciences LLC to be its new president of R&D.

Barron will replace Patrick Vallance, who is to leave GSK to become the UK Government’s chief scientific adviser. The latter's...

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