Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that Luciano Rossetti, M.D., has been named senior vice president and franchise head, Diabetes and Obesity, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL). Dr. Rossetti assumes his new role on Sept. 1 and will report to Peter S. Kim, Ph.D., president, MRL.
“Luciano Rossetti is a truly outstanding physician scientist whose work has had a major impact on our understanding of diabetes and obesity. We are delighted to bring a scientist of his stature to the MRL team,” Dr. Kim said. “Luciano is a proven leader with a deep commitment to improving the lives of patients, and his appointment will enhance our efforts to develop innovative new medicines for these two rapidly growing global public health problems.”
Dr. Rossetti, 49, comes to MRL after 15 years at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in the Bronx, N.Y., where he served as Professor of Medicine and Professor of Molecular Pharmacology, while holding the Judy R. and Alfred A. Rosenberg Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research. Since 2002, he has also served as the Director of the Einstein Diabetes Research Center.
In this newly-created position, Dr. Rossetti will have overall responsibility for scientific direction across the drug discovery and development process for Merck’s key therapeutic areas of diabetes and obesity. He will be based at Merck’s research facility in Rahway, N.J.
“I join Peter Kim in expressing how delighted we are that a scientist of Dr. Rossetti’s world-class caliber is joining the MRL team in this key leadership role,” said Richard T. Clark, chief executive officer and president, Merck. “I am confident that Dr. Rossetti will make outstanding contributions to Merck research and help us continue our longstanding tradition of developing innovative new medicines to improve the health and well-being of patients around the world.”
Dr. Rossetti received his medical training at Trieste University Medical School, and completed his intern/residence in Internal Medicine at Rome University Medical School in Italy. He also carried out postdoctoral research in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, at Yale University Medical School in New Haven, Conn. An internationally recognized diabetes investigator, Dr. Rossetti has made major contributions to the understanding of the biochemical and molecular mechanism mediating the sensing of nutrients and the role of leptin in the regulation of glucose and fat metabolism. He is an expert in the application of molecular genetics and pharmacological approaches to studies on appetite and metabolic control by the hypothalamus.
Dr. Rossetti recently delivered the opening keynote address at the 5th International Metabolic Diseases Drug Discovery and Development World Summit, considered to be the premier conference for diabetes and obesity researchers. In 2000, he was honored with the prestigious Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award of the American Diabetes Association in recognition of groundbreaking research in diabetes that demonstrates independence of thought and originality.
Dr. Rossetti is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck’s business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements in Item 1 of Merck’s Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.
Comments