Sanofi SA has appointed Paulo Fontoura as global head of research & development pharma, effective 1 September 2026. The neurologist and physician-scientist will join Sanofi's executive committee and will lead research, translational medicine, clinical development and regulatory affairs as Sanofi advances its R&D activities and pipeline of new medicines.
Dr Fontoura has a strong track record in medicines’ development, with his teams contributing to the development of over 60 new molecular entities, leading to over 20 US and EU approvals including breakthrough therapies in neuroscience, rare diseases, immunology and ophthalmology. Most recently, he was chief medical officer of Xaira Therapeutics Inc, an AI biotechnology company. Previous roles included more than 15 years at Roche, where he oversaw a global organisation of physicians and clinical scientists.
Sanofi announced the appointment on 22 June 2026.
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