Moncef Slaoui, PhD, Operation Warp Speed's former chief advisor, has left three drugmakers amid allegations of sexual harassment: Galvani Bioelectronics, Vaxcyte and Centessa Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Slaoui had spent 30 years overseeing vaccine development at GlaxoSmithKline. The drugmaker said it received a letter containing allegations that Dr. Slaoui sexually harassed and displayed inappropriate conduct toward one of its employees, behavior that occurred several years ago when he was a GlaxoSmithKline employee.
GlaxoSmithKline fired Dr. Slaoui from his role as Galvani Bioelectronics' board chairman March 24 because of the allegations. Galvani Bioelectronics is a medical research company that develops bioelectronic medicines to treat chronic conditions. It was formed in 2016 via a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline and Google life science subsidiary Verily.
A March 24 SEC filing revealed Dr. Slaoui resigned as chair of Vaxcyte's board. The company, a vaccine drugmaker formerly known as SutroVax, said it requested his resignation as soon as it became aware of the allegations.
Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a biotech that launched in February, said March 25 Dr. Slaoui had stepped down as its chief scientific officer.
Dr. Slaoui issued a statement March 24, in which he apologized for the situation and said he is taking an immediate leave of absence from professional responsibilities to focus on his family.
"I have the utmost respect for my colleagues and feel terrible that my actions have put a former colleague in an uncomfortable situation," he said. "I would like to apologize unreservedly to the employee concerned and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. I would also like to apologize to my wife and family for the pain this is causing. I will work hard to redeem myself with all those that this situation has impacted."
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