Churchill Pharmaceuticals announced the expansion of their Commercial Leadership Team.
These Churchill Commercial Leadership Team members are Sharlene Cirillo, Vice President, Marketing; Jim Datz, Vice President, Market Access; Matt Battin, Vice President, Sales; Frank Barrett, Head of Patient Support Services and Nate Ide, Head of Trade and Distribution. This highly experienced team joins Ben Steinmetz, Senior Vice President, Commercial who has been with the organization since 2015.
The newly expanded Churchill team is advancing the planning and market analysis for the potential launch of YONSA (abiraterone acetate), the company's lead portfolio product for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
"Commercial readiness is a foremost priority for Churchill following the submission of the YONSA New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration last week," Scott Megaffin, President, Churchill said. "As part of our commitment to provide value for mCRPC patients across the U.S. healthcare system, our plan is to drive rapid market access and achieve immediate impact. We believe strongly that this proven and accomplished team can deliver on this undertaking."
"It is a privilege to have Sharlene, Jim, Matt, Frank, and Nate in key leadership roles within Churchill," Steinmetz said. "As a group, they bring the broad range of critical skills and capabilities needed for commercialization. Each person has been closely involved in the launches of many major oncology therapies, and they understand how markets are reshaped by therapeutic innovations."
Mr. Steinmetz joined Churchill in 2015, bringing 30 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience in a variety of global and domestic, commercial and R&D roles.
Prior to Churchill, Steinmetz was Vice President of Reimbursement and Patient Access for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and also Vice President of Policy and Payer Insight for Oncology/Biopharmaceuticals within GSK's U.S. market access division. Steinmetz led Global Marketing for oncology and was accountable for global product management, scientific communications and health outcomes for GSK's oncology portfolio. Product responsibilities have included multiple therapeutic and supportive care products, as well as many discovery and development stage products.
Ms. Cirillo brings 30 years of broad-based experience in oncology global and domestic marketing, market access and R&D and clinical experience to her position at Churchill.
Prior to Churchill, Cirillo was Head of Global Market Access for the oncology portfolio at GSK/Novartis. The portfolio spanned solid tumors, hematology and supportive care as well as early-stage development products for which Cirillo oversaw development of product value propositions and global market access and pricing strategy. She led global and U.S. marketing teams for multiple products, including heritage cytotoxics, partnerships and the U.S. launch for renal cell cancer. Cirillo has also worked in pharmaceutical management consulting managing global business process improvement efforts in healthcare, R&D and commercial, and has experience in clinical development and medical affairs studies, trial execution and NDA submissions.
Mr. Battin brings 30 years of commercial experience in sales, marketing and market access.
Previously, Battin was Head of Genitourinary Marketing and Launch Excellence for the immuno-oncology portfolio at Bristol-Myers Squibb and led the successful launch of that franchise in renal cell carcinoma. At Novartis Oncology, he was Head of Integrated Health Systems where he developed the strategy for IDNs/ACOs and led a field-based account team. Battin spent most of his career at GSK as Vice President of Marketing for the oncology portfolio. In that capacity, he successfully launched several new medicines across a range of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. At GSK Battin also led several sales and marketing teams within the critical and supportive care division.
Mr. Datz joins Churchill as Vice President of Market Access having led the account management and market access planning functions at numerous organizations over the span of his 30-year career.
Before joining Churchill, Datz was Vice President of Product Access at Galena Biopharma where he led the launch planning for two oncology supportive care products focused on anti-emesis and breakthrough cancer pain. Prior to Galena, Datz designed and led process transformation within market access functions at J&J, Roche, Wyeth and Walgreens.
Mr. Barrett brings 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience in market access, reimbursement, patient access and policy to his role at Churchill. Barrett has successfully launched more than 35 products in multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, nephrology and HIV/AIDS.
Prior to Churchill, Barrett was Head of Patient Access Services and Reimbursement at Relypsa where led his team in the successful launch of the first novel therapy for hyperkalemia in 50 years. Barrett also worked for nine years at GSK in several leadership roles. Prior to GSK, Barrett held reimbursement and access leadership roles at AstraZeneca, RxCrossroads and Centocor. Barrett holds an MBA degree from LaSalle University.
Mr. Ide joins Churchill as Head of Trade Relations, having led the management, distribution channel and market access functions at numerous organizations over the span of his 20-year career.
Prior to Churchill, Ide was Vice President of Oncology Market Access and Trade Relations at Entrinsic Health Solutions where he led the launch planning for their first oncology supportive care product focused on GI health. Before Entrinsic, Ide designed and built out the trade relations function and led national accounts teams at several companies including Galena, Spectrum, MGI, Roche and AstraZeneca.