NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas announces the promotion of Bernhardt Zeiher, M.D. ("Bernie") to the position of executive vice president, Global Development and the appointment of Jeannette A. Barrett, PhD, to the position of vice president and head of Medical Excellence, Global Medical Affairs.

In his new role, Dr. Zeiher will assume line responsibility for Global Development Operations and Global Clinical Pharmacology and Exploratory Development (GCPED), in addition to his responsibility as therapeutic area head of Immunology, Infectious Disease, Transplant, Central Nervous System and Pain. Bernie will continue to report to Dr. Sef Kurstjens, chief medical officer and president of Global Development.

As the head of Medical Excellence, a new department within the Global Medical Affairs organization at Astellas, Dr. Barrett will be responsible for supporting Astellas' medical affairs activities globally by providing the tools, processes, systems and infrastructure they need to ensure transparency, operational consistency, limit risk and improve compliance. Dr. Barrett will report to Dr. Charlotte Kremer, senior vice president and head, Global Medical Affairs.

"Both Bernie and Jeannette's global experience, along with their pharmaceutical and clinical knowledge, make them perfect fits for Astellas," said Kurstjens. "We are delighted to be promoting Bernie and bringing Jeannette on to the Astellas team to further our mission of bringing important treatment options to patients."

Dr. Zeiher has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and most recently came from Pfizer Inc., where he was the vice president of the inflammation/immunology therapeutic area. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Toledo and his medical degree at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Barrett has held a variety of leadership positions for over 20 years in the areas of medical affairs, regulatory affairs and drug safety with several global pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer Inc., where she spent 16 years. She holds a Ph.D. in physiology from the Graduate School of the Biomedical Sciences at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in Newark. She earned two National Institute of Mental Health fellowships at, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons to continue her research in the effects of stress on the neuroendocrine system.

About Astellas
Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. The organization is committed to becoming a global category leader in focused areas by combining outstanding R&D and marketing capabilities. For more information about Astellas, please visit www.astellas.com/en/.

SOURCE Astellas