A Medical Device Daily

Bayer Biological Products (Bayer BP) last week celebrated the opening of its new global headquarters for its division in Berkeley, California, and installed Bayer BP's new leadership team.

The ceremony marking the launch of Bayer BP follows divestiture of the division's plasma protein business on March 31. Bayer BP, which manufactures and markets the Kogenate line of products for the treatment of hemophilia A, remains a separate division within Bayer HealthCare.

This team, joining Joseph Akers in his role as president of Bayer BP, includes: Paul Heiden, continuing as senior vice president of technical operations; Michael Fournel, continuing as Bayer BP's senior vice president of R&D; Martin VanTrieste (formerly head of Quality for the Berkeley site), becoming vice president of quality; Carol Moore, continuing as vice president of regulatory affairs; Michael Mathews (formerly head of Global Strategic Marketing, Coagulation), assuming the role of vice president, global marketing; Martin Dawkins, continuing as vice president of sales & marketing for Europe; Habib Dable (formerly director of Worldwide Business Operations with Bayer BP), becoming vice president of sales & marketing for Canada, Japan, and developing markets; Terry Tenbrunsel, continuing to lead the Kogenate FS U.S. sales organization; Rainer Schwarz (formerly chief administration officer, Bayer HealthCare Group, Japan) becoming vice president of business planning and administration; Justin Ford (formerly director of human resources for the Berkeley site), becoming vice president, organization effectiveness; and Julie Cheng (formerly senior counsel with Bayer Diagnostics), becoming assistant general counsel for Bayer BP

The launch ceremony also showcased the recently initiated construction of a clinical manufacturing facility, a $50 million investment by Bayer BP.

Mark Skinner, president, World Federation of Hemophilia (Montreal), said, "The global hemophilia community is pleased Bayer BP is continuing its strong commitment to the hemophilia business and to advancing care through investments in R&D."

Also attending the ceremony was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said: "California is a gateway to revolutionary biomedicine, and this center symbolizes the ingenuity that is the hallmark of our great state. Bayer BP has been an esteemed Bay Area enterprise for more than 100 years and brings together the best in clinical research and medical innovation for the benefit of patients."

Bayer HealthCare AG, combines the global activities of the divisions Diabetes Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals, Animal Health, Biological Products and Consumer Care.