During MassBio’s Annual Meeting, March 21-22nd, Dr. Jeffrey Leiden, Chairman, President and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, will receive the Henri A. Termeer Innovative Leadership Award.
This annual award was created to honor individuals who have contributed significantly to the growth and success of biotechnology in Massachusetts. Eligible recipients must represent a company with a strong presence and commitment to Massachusetts, be a leader in their communities, and exhibit leadership to employees by creating a positive work environment. Dr. Leiden’s leadership at Vertex exceeded our criteria in every way. Past award recipients include John Maraganore, CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Mark Levin, co-founder of Third Rock Ventures, Deborah Dunsire, former President & CEO of Millennium, among others.
Because of his patient-focused leadership style and commitment to change lives, almost half of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients now have a treatment that addresses the underlying cause of their disease. The potential for Vertex’s new product combos to work for up to 90% of the CF population is astounding, and a gamechanger for CF patients and their families. And as Vertex looks to what’s next in other therapeutic areas and classes of treatments, we are confident he’ll lead them toward breakthroughs for patients around the world who need and deserve them.
Further, Dr. Leiden’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in science and medicine through his investment in STEM education and Vertex’s Learning Lab is remarkable for its scope and ambition. We share his belief that students should engage with and be excited by science at a young age.
Lastly, we applaud Dr. Leiden for his civic leadership role in Boston and across the state. As the life sciences community continues to grow, we must be engaged with civic and political leaders to ensure our collective voice is well represented. Here, Dr. Leiden is a leading example of how to do it right, with his leadership of public-private partnerships like Massachusetts Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and Digital Health Council.
With Henri’s passing in 2017, this award takes on a new significance for MassBio and our industry colleagues who knew and loved him. Henri always put patients first and we believe Dr. Leiden and Vertex are following this model.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join MassBio, as we honor the work of Dr. Leiden at our annual awards luncheon during the MassBio Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 21st at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge. Register today!