In a series of moves intended to beef up its pipeline, Pfizer Inc. appointed a new head of global research and development and launched an independent biotech research and development center in San Francisco.

The new President of Pfizer Global Research and Development (PGRD), Martin Mackay, came from the inside, having previously served as a vice president of PGRD and senior vice president of worldwide development.

In his new role, Mackay has been tasked with raising the bar on PGRD productivity and turning the organization into a top-tier biotherapeutics company. To achieve those goals, he developed a growth plan for PGRD, which includes bringing existing pipeline products to market as quickly as possible, growing franchises through line extensions and label enhancements, re-prioritizing investments in the pipeline, and pursuing collaborations with academia and biotech to access new products and technologies.

At last month's BIO Mid-America Venture Forum, Pfizer reiterated its interest in collaborations focused on diagnostics, biomarkers and enabling technologies as well as small-molecule and biologic therapeutics. Specific indications of interest include allergy, respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hepatology, genitourinary, infectious diseases, inflammation, neuroscience, oncology, ophthalmology and pain. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 27, 2007.)

The new San Francisco-based biotherapeutics and bioinnovation center is yet another way for Pfizer to discover and acquire more fodder for its pipeline. Among its many goals, the center will seek to research and utilize platform technologies and tools to both discover and acquire new products. Significant efforts will focus on translational research, preclinical and early clinical development, and building an incubator.

Earlier this year, Pfizer incorporated The Pfizer Incubator LLC (TPI), a wholly owned, fully funded biotechnology incubator located on its La Jolla, Calif. research and development campus. The 26,600-square-foot facility contains eight laboratories and sufficient office space to house between five and eight start-ups, the first of which has been selected. (See BioWorld Today, March 19, 2007.)

The San Francisco center will be led by Corey Goodman, former president and CEO of Renovis Inc. Just last month, Goodman announced Renovis's pending acquisition by Evotec AG for $151.8 million in stock. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 20, 2007.)

Pfizer also announced that it hired Briggs Morrison from Merck & Co. Inc.'s research laboratories to serve as the new head of clinical development for the PGRD pipeline. The company was not available for further comment.