Andrew von Eschenbach
Former FDA Commissioner

Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., currently serves as Senior Advisor at Green Leaf Health and as an Adjuct Professor at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In September of 2005, he was appointed Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs where he immediately engaged an agenda to modernize the FDA. Confirmed by the Senate as Commissioner in December 2006, Dr. von Eschenbach emphasized innovation by fostering creative projects, including FDA’s Critical Path Initiative (designed to bring modern tools of science to the product development process); work plans like the FDA’s Food Protection Plan; and most especially the nurturing of the workforce through initiatives, such as an Agency-wide fellowship program and development of a new integrated campus for the Agency in White Oak, Maryland. Under his leadership, the FDA experienced dramatic increases in resources enabling implementation of many new programs designed to strengthen the FDA in its mission to protect and promote public health. He has emphasized FDA’s role in working with external partners to assure quality throughout the entire life cycle of the products it regulates while internally fostering, through process improvements, a regulatory pathway that is transparent and efficient while still rigorous and science led.

Dr. von Eschenbach joined FDA after serving for four years as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health where he set an ambitious goal to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer by rapid acceleration and integration of the discovery-development-delivery continuum. While at NCI, he committed resources to ensure the application to oncology of nanotechnology, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and other emerging technologies. At the time of his appointment by President Bush to serve as Director of NCI, he was President-Elect of the American Cancer Society. Dr. von Eschenbach entered government service after an outstanding career over three decades as a physician, surgeon, oncologist and executive that included numerous leadership roles from Chairman of the Department of Urologic Oncology to Executive Vice President and Chief Academic at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, an institution world renowned for the magnitude and excellence of its clinical and research cancer programs. An internationally renowned cancer specialist and author of more than 200 scientific articles and studies, Dr. von Eschenbach has served in numerous leadership roles, including serving as one of the founding members of the National Dialogue on Cancer. He has received numerous professional awards and honors. In 2006, Dr. von Eschenbach was named one of Time magazine’s “100 most influential people to shape the world,” and in both 2007 and 2008, he was selected as one of the Modern Healthcare/Modern Physician’s “50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare.”

Dr. von Eschenbach earned a B.S. from St. Joseph’s University in his native Philadelphia and his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. He served as a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps. After completing a residency in urologic surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, he was an instructor in urology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed a Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

He has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Madelyn, for over 40 years, and they are proud parents of four children and elated grandparents of seven.

Tony Zhang
Managing Director and Site Head Eli Lilly Global R&D, China

Born and raised in east China, Tony received his BS from Shandong University, and came to the US for graduate studies as a CGP Fellow. He obtained his PhD degree from Purdue University, followed by a stint as a research chemist at Reilly Chemicals. He joined Eli Lilly`s Chemical Process R&D Division in 1992, and had led multi-disciplined teams engaged in drug development. He is recognized as a premier molecule builder, and has patented, published, and lectured extensively in synthetic chemistry and pharmaceutical process development. In June 2008, Dr. Zhang assumed the current leadership role as managing director and site head for Eli Lilly Global R&D, China, with responsibilities including development of R&D strategies, establishment and management of research collaborations, and licensing activities for molecular assets and research technologies in the Greater China area.

Robert Armstrong
VP, Global External Research and Development Eli Lilly and Company

Robert W. Armstrong, Ph.D., became vice president of global external research and development for Eli Lilly and Company in November 2006. He previously was vice president of discovery chemistry research. Armstrong's new position will serve to accelerate LRL's ability to access external innovation, including scientific and medical capabilities and capacity, as well as new drug candidates. He is also a member of the senior management council.

Prior to joining Lilly in November 1999, Armstrong had been director and head of small molecule drug discovery at Amgen, Inc.

He received bachelor of science degrees in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of California at San Diego in 1979 and a doctorate degree in chemistry from Colorado State University in 1984. Upon completion of an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in 1986, was a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he remains an adjunct faculty member

G.V. Prasad
Vice Chairman and CEO
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories

GV Prasad leads the core team that drives the growth and performance of Dr Reddy’s. Prasad has played a key role in the evolution of Dr. Reddy’s from a mid-sized pharmaceutical company into a globally respected pharmaceutical major.

Prasad has been Vice-Chairman and CEO of Dr. Reddy’s since 2001, when Cheminor Drugs Ltd, the company of which he was then Managing Director, merged with Dr Reddy’s. Prasad nurtured new lines of business, helped to build a high-talent organization, and was instrumental in introducing best-in-class practices in corporate governance.

Prasad is widely credited as the architect of Dr. Reddy’s successful global generics strategy. He envisioned new business platforms like the Custom Pharmaceutical Services business and Specialty Pharmaceuticals and is dedicated to building the innovation side of the business. He is also a champion of sustainability thinking and has spearheaded efforts to reduce the company’s ecological footprint by embracing green technologies and processes. 

Prasad’s personal mission is to create high performing organizations which can sustain and thrive through changing generations of people, products and technologies. He firmly believes that a strong human resource base is crucial for seamlessly integrating diverse businesses and cultures to perform as a cohesive business force. He has focused on transformation through people processes and has launched several initiatives which won the company the Best Employers in India 2007 Award. 

Li Chen
Chief Scientific Officer Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd.

Li Chen, Ph.D., is the Chief Scientific Officer at Roche’s R&D Center in Shanghai, reporting to Dr. Lee Babiss, President and Global Head of Roche Pharma Research. In 2004, he was one of the pioneers helping to build up the center in a record seven months. Besides developing and implementing the Research strategy for China as well as handling external collaborations and research programs, he remains a scientist at heart. With a current team of 90 scientists, he drives Discovery Research mainly in medicinal chemistry and research technology. He also manages the Research operations including chemistry, pharmacology, biology and discovery technology, as well as Research informatics and inventory in Shanghai.

Li has been with Roche since 1992. He started out as a Senior and Principle Scientist in drug discovery research in Nutley. His co-invention of R411, a clinical drug for asthma, dates back to these years. While in Nutley, he also assumed the role as Head of Combinatorial Chemistry and established the respective department with a focus on high quality lead generation. Before going back to China to take his current position, Li led the High Throughput Chemistry and Research Project from 2000 to 2004. He also served as a member of the Roche Patent Coordination Committee in Nutley – quite appropriate given that he has more than 50 patent applications and scientific publications of his own.

Li holds a bachelor’s degree in 1982 from Zhengzhou University in China. He continued his academic career earning a master’s degree in 1985 from East China Normal University in Shanghai where he also gave lectures in Organic and Synthetic Organic Chemistry. Li, a Chinese citizen, completed his university education with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Iowa State University in the United States in 1992.