Charles Ferté, M.D., Ph.D., senior director and global project leader of oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, is leaving the company.
In a Twitter post, Ferté said: “While I am very excited about the new opportunity (stay tuned!), I am sad to leave AstraZeneca today. These (nearly) 4 years have been truly amazing ! Filled with passion, laughs, dedication. I feel proud to have worked with such incredible colleagues. #ThankYouAZ.”
Why he is leaving and to where he is moving remain a mystery. When asked, AstraZeneca said simply on his exit: “We don’t have a statement on this.”
This comes amid a turbulent time for the U.K.-based pharma, which is struggling to grow confidence in its COVID vaccine after a series of rare blood clots has been associated with its shot has come to light in recent months. Some regulators have cleared the vaccine to still be used, though many are now saying it shouldn’t be used in younger adults, or children.
It also unexpectedly lost its cancer R&D chief Jose Baselga M.D., Ph.D., to an incredibly rare brain disease earlier this year. Ferté worked with Baselga at the company.