Sanofi's R&D chief Ashrafian exits as new CEO Garijo seeks to fix pipeline with former Roche executive Fontoura

Sanofi's global head of R&D Houman Ashrafian is leaving to pursue an opportunity outside the company, less than three years after joining in 2023. He will be replaced by former Roche executive Paulo Fontoura, MD, PhD, FAAN, who will take over as Executive Vice President and Global Head of Research & Development Pharma effective September 1, 2026.

Fontoura spent over 16 years at Roche, rising to Global Head of Clinical Development for neuroscience, immunology, ophthalmology, infectious diseases and rare diseases; he is currently Chief Medical Officer at Xaira Therapeutics and holds an academic position at Nova Medical School in Portugal.

Incoming CEO Belén Garijo is driving this change as part of an effort to fix Sanofi's stuttering pipeline and accelerate the delivery of transformative medicines, amid expectations of a major revenue gap after the patent expiration of Dupixent in 2031.