2023-12-14 12:45:00
Change at the top of AstraZeneca Italia. After a short transition phase Claudio Longo, already CEO since the beginning of November, will also take on the role of president of the Board of Directors next January. He succeeds Lorenzo Wittum, who has successfully led the company for the last 5 years, accelerating investments in research and innovation – recalls the company – and who resumes his international career at AstraZeneca with a role in the Global Therapeutic Areas. “I lived and worked abroad for many years – declares Longo – but I have always maintained a very strong bond with Italy where I find my origins. I believe that the experience gained in different countries is precious for a company like AstraZeneca which aims to identify new innovative approaches to improve treatment assistance and respond to patients’ clinical needs. This is why I am honored to lead AstraZeneca Italia in this new phase of its journey”.
After graduating in Electromechanical Engineering and the Master in General Management at the Vlerick Management School – reports a note – Longo embarked on an international career working in various industrial sectors (biopharmaceuticals, consumer goods, chemicals) in four continents over the last 20 years. He joined AstraZeneca in 2011 and has held various positions in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, gaining an in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector and biomedical research. His professional experience has allowed him to experiment with different approaches to improve patient care pathways through the development of public-private partnerships. Longo is strongly convinced of the opportunities offered by digitalisation to better understand, diagnose and treat some of the most widespread pathologies in our country in the oncology, cardiovascular, metabolic and renal, respiratory, immunological and infectious diseases fields. Working across different cultures, he has always championed the value of inclusion, both in the workplace and in society. In March 2022, he assumed the role of Country President Taiwan, overseeing the affiliate’s activities and helping to strengthen the country’s business and healthcare environment by assuming the role of Council director of the International Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (Irpma) and supervisor on the Board of Directors of AmCham Taiwan.
“My focus in the coming years – continues Longo – will be to continue the company’s development program with a significant investment plan in research and innovation, cornerstones of the knowledge economy, which can have a significant impact on the economy and society as a whole. Our ambition is to generate value for the entire country system, because we are convinced that Italy still has great potential and that our sector can continue to be a fundamental player. For this reason , with an expected investment of 97 million euros in R&D in the two-year period 2023-2024, we will carry out more than 200 clinical studies in collaboration with over 300 research centers spread throughout Italy. This widespread collaboration, with centers in all Italian regions, it makes me deeply proud and confident in developing a more equitable access to care plan in a climate of constant collaboration.”
AstraZeneca’s commitment to clinical research in Italy is significant, the company highlights. The company – continues the note – is at the top of the clinical research panorama at a national level for new studies (+155% in the period 2017-2022) and collaborates with the most authoritative research centers in Italy to identify and develop increasingly targeted and effective to respond in the best possible way to the clinical needs of patients.
“It is important to make Italy more attractive for foreign investments – Longo remarks – and the pharmaceutical industry represents a key opportunity. It is a sector in which research and development is conducted in the form of mutual collaboration together with institutions, hospitals, universities and healthcare facilities. The innovation produced and transferred by pharmaceutical companies is an integral part of the country’s development process and AstraZeneca, which strongly believes in the Italian market, is ready to do its part.”
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