19 October 2018 - - US-based biotechnology company Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPPI) has appointed Francois Lebel, M.D., F.R.C.P.C. as chief medical officer, the company said.

Lebel will be responsible for leading the Spectrum clinical program which includes directing the clinical research staff, overseeing the company's ongoing clinical trials, and regulatory submissions.

He will also direct clinical development strategies, life-cycle management, relationships with regulatory bodies and provide strategic counsel on all business development activities.

Lebel brings nearly 30 years of clinical leadership experience within the biopharmaceutical industry. He has designed and managed global medical organisations to deliver results, enhance productivity and practice sound risk management.

Most recently, he served as the executive vice president of Research and Development, Chief Medical officer at Ziopharm Oncology.

He also held various leadership roles including vice president of research and cevelopment at Baxter International and global head of medical and scientific affairs at MedImmune.

In the last 25 years, he provided strategic leadership on eight NDA/BLAs in various therapeutic areas and on a number of mergers and acquisitions.

Lebel has broad and deep experience in oncology drug development, medical affairs, regulatory and pharmacovigilance acquired through various roles of increasing responsibilities at Chiron (Novartis), Warner-Lambert (Pfizer) and Burroughs Wellcome.

He received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa, Canada, and he completed his post graduate training at McGill University and Harvard Medical School. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada.

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing, and commercializing drug products, with a primary focus in hematology and oncology.

The company currently markets six hematology/oncology drugs, and has an advanced stage pipeline that has the potential to transform the company.

Spectrum's strong track record for in-licensing and acquiring differentiated drugs, and expertise in clinical development have generated a robust, diversified, and growing pipeline of product candidates in advanced-stage Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies.