Qiagen appoints staff for pharma business development team

Qiagen has appointed Dr Pia Gargiulo and Richard Watts to key executive roles at its newly-formed pharma business development team.

Dr Gargiulo has been selected as a senior director of the new unit, with Mr Watts becoming a director, further expanding a team which includes former DxS staff members Peter Collins and Dr David Jackson.

Both newly-appointed executives have extensive experience in the healthcare sector, with Dr Gargiulo joining Qiagen from AstraZeneca, while Mr Watts’ former employers include Bio-Rad and Invitrogen.

The science company’s pharma business development team has been formed following last year’s takeover of DxS and is intended to oversee drug-diagnostic co-development programmes with pharmaceutical partners.

Mr Collins, vice-president and leader of the new team, said Dr Gargiulo and Mr Watts “will play a key part in further strengthening Qiagen’s position as the pharmaceutical industry’s companion diagnostic partner of choice”.

According to the company’s most recent financial report, Qiagen enjoyed a strong fourth quarter of 2009, exceeding its performance from the corresponding period of 2008 by 22 per cent.