Lugano, Switzerland, May 19, 2022 – Helsinn Group, a fully integrated, global biopharma company with a diversified pipeline of innovative oncology assets and strong track-record of commercial execution, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Melanie Rolli as Group Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), effective June 1, 2022.
Giorgio Calderari, Helsinn Group CEO, commented: “In line with our Fully Integrated Targeted Therapy (FITT) strategy in oncology and to support business growth and execute the development and commercialization plans for our innovative pipeline, Helsinn is expanding its Senior Leadership Team. Today, I am thrilled to announce that Dr Melanie Rolli will be joining Helsinn as Group Chief Operating Officer. Dr Rolli is a highly experienced business leader having held several executive and non-executive roles in global pharmaceutical and biotech companies. She has broad expertise managing complex organizations in different geographies, fundraising to support innovative drug development, developing and executing on company visions and strategies, as well as highly relevant pipeline development expertise, including being part of the GSK Oncology Portfolio Integration into Novartis Oncology Business Unit for Development Functions. On behalf of Helsinn, I would like to welcome Melanie to the team and look forward to working closely with her over the coming years.”
Dr Rolli has over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, with a focus on oncology. Her previous management experience includes Chief Executive Officer roles at AELIX Therapeutics, Barcelona, Spain and at Piqur Therapeutics, Basel, Switzerland, developing molecules in oncology and dermatology. Prior to this Dr Rolli spent 14 years at Novartis Pharma in various roles including Member of Development Leadership Team at Novartis Oncology, Head of Medical Affairs across divisions including oncology, and latterly Global Head Medical Safety, Group Drug Development.
Dr Melanie Rolli, newly appointed Group Chief Operating Officer at Helsinn, commented: “Helsinn’s mission is to improve the lives of cancer patients all over the world and this is fully aligned with what has driven me throughout my career. I am delighted to join a team of experts in oncology where there is a scalable platform that can be leveraged across small molecule capabilities to preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing, launch planning, and a track record of successful commercialization of targeted oncology therapies and supportive cares. I am really excited to get started and realise the value of Helsinn’s differentiated pipeline of highly innovative oncology assets addressing unmet needs.” In her earlier medical career, after graduating from Medical School, the University of Heidelberg in Germany with a Doctorate in Medicine and Pharmacology, she was Clinician Medical & Surgical Oncology at the Department of Women’s Health, University Medical Hospital, Mannheim, Germany, and later completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at SCRIPPS Research Institute for Molecular and Experimental Medicine in cancer research, La Jolla, California, USA.