Purdue Pharma names new CEO as Timney departs

STAMFORD, Conn. — Purdue Pharma has new leadership. The company on Thursday named Dr. Craig Landau to the position of president and CEO, effective immediately. He will retain responsibility for Purdue Pharma in Canada as well, and takes over the position in the United States from Mark Timney, who is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity, Purdue said.

Timney joined the company as president and CEO in 2014, after a career with Merck, where he worked for 15 years in various leadership roles in the United States and abroad. At Purdue, Timney grew the company in high-need areas and expanded its portfolio beyond opioid-based pain treatments through acquisitions and partnerships.

“Mark’s tenure was distinguished by his ability to set a visionary goal for the organization, his work to transform the company to a future beyond opioids, and by developing an outstanding talent bench,” the company said. “The board and Purdue colleagues will miss his professional strategic ability, integrity, and leadership. We thank Mark for his service and will continue to build on the strong foundation he laid during his time here.”

Under Timney, Purdue collaborated with AnaBios to research non-opioid, non-NSAID pain treatments and acquired a potential treatment and the TrkA pain program from VM Pharma. Various other partnerships were launched under his leadership.

Landau has been in the pharmaceutical industry since 1997 and has been with Purdue Pharma since 1999. At the U.S. organization, he rose through the ranks for 14 years, eventually being named its chief medical officer and VP of R&D, innovation, clinical and medical affairs, a role in which he oversaw various health policy initiatives and product registrations in the U.S. and abroad. Among the products were Butrans, reformulated OxyContin, Targiniq ER and Hysingla ER.

In 2013, he was appointed president and CEO of Purdue Pharma Canada, and since taking the reigns, he has overseen the company’s diversification and stabilization through business development transactions and R&D developments. Purdue’s Canadian business has a portfolio that expands beyond its pain products to include attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder chemotherapy-induced nausea and omitting and ophthalmic condition treatments. IT also has a portfolio of over-the-counter laxatives, decongestants and antiseptics.