The Immunex Alumni: Where Are They Now?
Luke Timmerman1/3/11Follow @ldtimmerman
[Update: 10:30 am, 12/30/11] Immunex was the company that made Seattle believe it could become a world-class cluster for the biotech industry.
The company was born during the industry’s founding wave in the early 1980s. Young genetic engineering hotshots from around the world gravitated to its culture of freewheeling scientific inquiry, can-do entrepreneurship, and irreverence. Immunex, after a couple near-death experiences, truly delivered on its promise by 1998 when it won FDA approval for a breakthrough for autoimmune diseases—etanercept (Enbrel). That product is now on track to be the world’s third-best selling drug in 2014 with $8 billion in worldwide sales, according to Thomson Reuters.
But, as Seattle biotechies know well, the party didn’t last. Immunex failed to manufacture enough of its wonder drug to meet demand from patients, and couldn’t deliver investors another immediate Enbrel-caliber hit. The company, which grew to 1,600 employees at its peak in Washington, ultimately was sold to biotech powerhouse Amgen for $10 billion in July 2002. Amgen continued to build out a state-of-the-art R&D center along Seattle’s Elliott Bay, and still occupies those labs, but about 500 local jobs were lost through the merger, and many longtime “Immunoids” left over the next couple years.
More than eight years have gone by, and Seattle still doesn’t have a company with the international impact of Immunex. While many of the scientists and businesspeople who built Immunex have moved elsewhere, quite a few of its alumni have stayed in the Northwest.
To get a sense of the kind of legacy the company still has today, I’ve put together a directory with links to help alumni connect and re-connect. This list includes bigwigs like co-founders Steve Gillis and Christopher Henney, and the rank-and-file. The list includes 326 names at last count.
Now here’s the part where you can help. If you or someone you know would like to be included, please send me a note. If you see any information below that’s out of date or incorrect, let me know and I’ll fix it. You can reach me at ltimmerman@xconomy.com.
Over time, I hope this story can become a richer and more valuable resource for Immunex alumni. Here’s the list in alphabetical order, with the most updated titles and affiliations I found online.
Nick Abbott, vice president, Barclays Capital
Cynthia Adkins, managing member, Adkins, Plant, Elvins, & Black
Jan Agosti, senior program officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Michael Aguiar, senior vice president, chief financial officer, Theravance
Maria Aiello, director of clinical development, HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals
Mark Alderson, director, pneumococcal vaccine project, PATH
Demi Allen, vice president law & compliance, ZymoGenetics
Mike Ambielli, biotechnology professional
Cathy Keck Anderson, deputy director of policy & communications, Bayer Healthcare
Noreen Andrews, computer system validation
Juli Ashburn, senior field force automation administrator, ZymoGenetics
Anne Aumell, donor relations officer, PATH
Agnieszka Bain, quality assurance specialist, Gilead Sciences
Tim Bair, senior manager, clinical manufacturing, Dendreon
Carol Barone, board member, Sustainable Path Foundation, project manager, quality assurance SNBL USA
Dauphine Barone, director of project management, Alder Biopharmaceuticals
Peter Baum, board member, Sustainable Path Foundation
Dan Becker, principal IS architect, Amgen
Patricia Beckmann, president and executive director, Oregon Translational Research and Drug Development Initiative
Courtney Beers, scientist, Amgen
Jean Berry, director of human resources, Allrecipes.com
Betty Bickford, quality assurance manager, Alder Biopharmaceuticals
Craig Biggs, associate director, medical information, Dendreon
Paige Billings, director of corporate training and leadership development, OSI Pharmaceuticals
Bryan Bischel, director of medical and regulatory affairs, Eyetech
Roy Black, scientist, Amgen [Added: 3:30 pm, 1/7/11]
Hal Blumberg, principal scientist, Novo Nordisk
Lisa Bockelie, developer, Bayer Corporate Business Services
Dwight Bolton, contract manufacturing manager, ZymoGenetics
Wendy Bones, technical writer, Dendreon
Mark Booth, chief commercial officer, Orexigen Therapeutics
Luis Borges, scientific director, Amgen
Ken Brasel, scientist II, Dendreon
Lisa Brown, director of information systems, Amgen
Jennifer Campanile, data center hardware facilities planner, IBM @Amgen [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Linda Carlock, scientist, toxicology, Amgen
Kim Carlson, content publisher, Microsoft
Katie Carrigan, director of human resources, ZymoGenetics
Kent Carter, medical science liaison, GTx Pharmaceuticals
Paul Carter, staff scientist and senior director of antibody engineering, Genentech
Doug Cerretti, president and chief scientific officer, CellCyte Genetics
Caroline Chan, director of human resources, Amgen [Added: 2:40 pm, 1/3/11]
Jean Chin, fiscal specialist 2, UW Medical Center
Wilson Chin, research scientist, University of Washington
Carter Clanton, regional business director, Eisai
Bill Clark, manager of metrology and calibration, Dendreon
Howard Clarke, principal development scientist, CMC Icos Biologics
Stephen Cole, systems engineering manager, Symantec [Added: 4:35 pm, 1/6/11]
Helen Cooke, managing director, Cooke Consulting Group [Added: 7:40 pm, 1/12/11]
Kerri Copp, QC senior supervisor, Genentech
David Cosman, board member of Aequus BioPharma, Sustainable Path Foundation and Earth Economics. [Updated: 10:15 am, 11/16/11]
Tom Cox, senior associate scientist, Novo Nordisk [Added: 9:20 pm, 1/4/11]
Vickie Craig, biotechnology professional
Kirby Cramer, chairman emeritus, SonoSite [Added: 9:35 pm, 1/11/11]
Bruce Creaner, operations manager, Dell
Alexis Cunningham, CRA, Abbott Laboratories
Connie Cunningham, real estate agent
Thomas O. Daniel, president of research, Celgene
Kim Davis, marketing manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Terri Davis-Smith, researcher, Bastyr University Research Institute
Peter de Vries, associate director of translational science, Ikaria
Mike Deeley, consultant, Somerset Consulting
Tracy Deisher, founder, research and development director, AVM Biotech
Michael DeJardin, business systems analyst, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Alison Del Vento, director of drug safety, Dendreon
Joe Denton, supervisor, QA contract manufacturing, Dendreon
Jonathan Derry, director of research, Sage Bionetworks
Tim Dickenson, system manager, talent stewardship, Providence Health & Services
Marijune Doniego, clinical contracts and finance associate, Gilead Sciences
Bill Dougall, scientist, Amgen
Valoree Dowell, national news specialist, University of Utah
David Drajeske, principal, Biotech BD Consulting
Bob DuBose, executive director, R&D informatics, Amgen
Bryce Dunbar, associate engineer, CMC Icos Biologics
Yvonne Eaton, QC specialist III, Alexion
June Eisenman, founder and board co-chair, Sustainable Path Foundation
Tyler Ellison, president, Pacific Marketing Consultants
Gerald Engley, senior director of medical affairs, ZymoGenetics
Lowell Ericson, board member, Sustainable Path Foundation
Terry Farrah, software engineer, Institute for Systems Biology
Phil Fergusson, director, medical science liaison, ZymoGenetics
Barbara Finck, senior vice president, chief medical officer, NKT Therapeutics
David Fitzpatrick, owner, Biotech Clarity Consulting
Kate Flanders, independent clinical research professional [Added: 2:15 pm PT, 12/5/11]
Chuck Foerder, director, bioanalytical development, Seattle Genetics
Beth Fortmueller, owner, Fortmueller HR Consulting
Alan Frazier, managing partner, Frazier Healthcare Ventures
Eric Frieden, vice president of process science and manufacturing, Axerion Therapeutics
Ed Fritzky, board member, Geron
Victor Fung, executive director, Amgen
Susan Furman, regulatory affairs professional
Laurent Galibert, head of metabolism and inflammation business unit, Addexpharma
Peter Gambacorta, president and CEO, The Learning Retention Company
George Everett Gardipee, supervisor, quality control, lab services, Dendreon
Leslie Garrison, independent pharmaceuticals professional
Richard Gayle, president, SpreadingScience
Richard Ghalie, chief medical officer, HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals
Stephanie Gidlund Feldt, associate director of market planning, Dendreon
Mark Gilbert, biotechnology professional
Randy Gilbert, production lab manager, NanoString Technologies [Added: 10:25 am, 12/29/11]
Steve Gillis, managing director, Arch Venture Partners
Wayne Gombotz, vice president of pharmaceutical operations, Omeros
John Goodleaf, senior systems analyst, Dendreon
Ray Goodwin, co-founder, VLST
Alice Kamp Goshorn, senior patent analyst, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Sally Gould, senior director, RA & QA, Emergent Product Development
Kenneth Grabstein, chief scientific officer, Allozyne
Leah Grant, president, Fluidea
Kris Greco Thompson, director of development and communications, The Wallace Medical Concern
Jennifer Greenough, director of global project management, Amgen
Steve Griggs, director of research informatics, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Erwin Guadiz, PC infrastructure support team leader, Bayer Healthcare
Heidi Hagen, senior vice president of operations, Dendreon
Brian Hall, associate director of FP&A, Seattle Genetics [Updated: 1:20 pm, 1/26/11]
Patty Hall, associate director, clinical research, Emergent Product Development [Added: 12:25 pm, 1/4/11]
Roberta Hanna, bioanalytical scientist
Julia Hart, director of quality and regulatory affairs, LifeCenter Northwest
Danielle Hartigh, group brand leader, Medicis
Ann Hayes, founder, The Danica Children’s Foundation, founder, Concern for the Girl Child
Christopher Henney, chairman of the board, Oncothyreon
Aurora Henry, raw material technical expert
Bruce Hess, research associate, VLST [Added: 8:50 am, 1/4/11]
Jeff Hesselberg, vice president of regulatory affairs, GTx
Rose Hesselbrock, administrative manager, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Tom Hopp, vice president of R&D, CG Therapeutics
Kay Humm, affiliate assistant professor of pharmacy, University of Washington
Gary Hurley, founder/principal, Creative Media Alliance
Eric Jeffery, CRA, Hematologics
Claudia Jochheim, principal consultant, Claudia Jochheim CMC Consulting
Jim Johnson, senior financial executive, former chief financial officer, ZymoGenetics
Jake Johnston, president, The Johnston Group
Andreas Kalmes, senior medical writer, Revalesio
Janet Kautz, independent accounting professional
Ajamete Kaykas, director, Allen Institute for Brain Science [Added: 9:20 pm, 1/4/11]
Mary Kennedy, medical and scientific editor, Mary Kennedy Biomedical Editing
Nancy Kercher, independent biotech professional, regulatory affairs
Anne Kerner, senior consultant, DKPierce & Associates
Randal Ketchem, principal scientist, Amgen
Yuni Kim, independent clinical research professional
Barrett Kimball Barnett, merchandise communications program manager, REI
Susan Kipper, manager of clinical safety, Dendreon
Michael Kirschner, attorney, Hillis, Clark, Martin & Peterson
Michael Kleinberg, independent biotechnology professional
Ralph Klinke, principal consultant, BioFios Consulting
Gerald Kolaja, consultant, Baloa BioConsulting [Added: 3:30 pm, 1/7/11]
Diane Kolb (formerly DiMaggio), faculty recruitment manager and assistant to the chair, Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine [Added: 8:55 am, 1/4/11]
John Kollins, managing director, Locust Walk Partners
Ann Kopischke, product manager, ZymoGenetics
Michael Kranda, chairman, Cardero Therapeutics
Carol Krantz, director of regulatory affairs, Amgen
Keith LaChappelle, facilities manager, Dendreon [Added: 3 pm, 1/13/11]
Tom LaGrandeur, patent attorney, Patent Networks Law Group [Updated: 10:30 am, 12/30/11]
Stacey Lange (King), Realtor, Windermere Real Estate
Randy Lawson, president, Integrity Medical Sales
Mark Leahy, cleantech entrepreneur
Wylene Lengel, director of life sciences, Clarkston Consulting
Rachel Lenington, senior program officer, infectious diseases, global health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [Added: 11:45 am, 1/5/11]
David Liebowitz, chief scientific and medical officer, Vivaldi Biosciences
Mike Liptack, software manager, Microsoft [Added: 9:45 am, 1/6/11]
Sarah Litchfield, human resources manager, Amgen [Added: 2:40 pm, 1/3/11]
Lori Lodzinski, biotechnology consultant
Tim Lofton, senior associate scientist, Amgen [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Monica L’Tainen, senior medical science liaison, Cell Therapeutics
Cheryl Lubbert, president, Health Advocacy Strategies
Steve Lupton, biopharmaceutical business development
Stewart Lyman, owner, Lyman Biopharma Consulting
Steve Malaska, vice president, director of biotech prosecution, Intellectual Ventures
Charlie Maliszewski, environmental education/advocacy
David Mann, former board member, Trubion Pharmaceuticals (now Emergent Biosolutions)
Carl March, biotechnology consultant
Andy Marie, senior engineering technician, CMC Icos Biologics
Susan Marley, senior clinical manager, Novartis
Jenny Martin, manager of clinical operations, GU oncology, University of Washington
Scot Maxon, associate director of medical information, ZymoGenetics
MaryAnne McAdams, director of commercial development, Slate Pharmaceuticals [Added: 6:35 pm, 1/4/11]
Jennifer McCarty, senior manager, research and development informatics, Amgen [Added: 12:25 pm, 1/4/11]
Candice McCoy, principal, Phase Plus Consulting
Teri McCune, clinical research consultant, president, TEMC
Neil McDonnell, deputy director of strategy, global health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Jeff McGrew, scientific director, Amgen
Peggy McHugh, senior director of clinical operations, IRX Therapeutics
Jim McKibben, retired from Amgen in 2010 [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Karen McLeod, associate director, labeling, ZymoGenetics
Cathy McMahan, director of cell sciences, Trubion Pharmaceuticals (now Emergent Biosolutions)
Kim McNeil, Realtor, Nations Realty [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Cathy McSharry, technical support [Added: 1:15 pm, 1/14/11]
Gary Means, principal scientist, Amgen
Jennifer Mitcham, director of program management, Theraclone Sciences
Thomas Mizelle, biotechnology executive
Ken Mohler, senior vice president of R&D, chief scientific officer, Trubion Pharmaceuticals (now Emergent Biosolutions)
Laura Morgan, associate director, QA, Acucela
Philip Morissey, vice president of biology, Amnis
Jurgen Mullberg, group head and project leader in antibody discovery [Added: 9:20 pm, 1/4/11]
Eileen Murphy, senior program manager, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute [Added: 12:40 pm, 1/6/11]
Suzanne Nelson, senior QA associate, Dendreon
Terry Newcomb, senior director, clinical research, Gilead Sciences
Jennifer Newman, associate director of operations and planning, preclinical R&D, ZymoGenetics
Leslie Nordstrom, QC analyst, BioLife Solutions
Anne Norment, owner, Vista Biotechnology Analysis
Barbara Norwood, quality control supervisor, in vitro biology and microbiology, Dendreon [Added: 8:05 pm, 1/17/11]
Carol Olson, co-chair, Sustainable Path Foundation
Robert Overell, president and CEO, PhaseRx
Mimi Ozaki, clinical regulatory assistant, Trubion Pharmaceuticals (now Emergent Biosolutions)
Cyndi Paluch, reimbursement regional manager, Bayer Healthcare
Dawn Papp, senior executive assistant, Dendreon [Added: 8:05 pm, 1/12/11]
Linda Park, co-chair, Sustainable Path Foundation
Vickie Park, project coordinator, Northwest Hospital
Craig Parker, CEO, Vega Therapeutics
H. Stewart Parker, commercialization advisor, Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association
Arleen Paulino, executive director, PD, Amgen
Ray Paxton, research director
Jacques Peschon, senior research scientist, Institute for Systems Biology
Dean Pettit, executive director of process and product development, Amgen
Peggy V. Phillips, board member, Dynavax Technologies
Tom Philpott, service delivery manager, IBM @Amgen [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Kathy Picha, regulatory affairs manager, Dendreon
Nancy Plant, founder and managing member, Adkins, Plant, Elvins & Black
Dave Pon, director of finance, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Karen Porter, business system analyst
Mike Preberowsky, independent pharmaceuticals professional
Steven Price, AVP, new products global strategic marketing, ImClone Systems, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly [Added: 12:40 pm, 1/6/11]
Cheryl Purdie, senior drug safety specialist, Human Genome Sciences
Brian Rabinovich, experimental diagnostic imaging group leader, genetic engineering and immunological imaging, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center [Added: 11:38 am, 1/22/11]
Seamus Ragan, scientist, Amgen
Carmen Rahm, assistant vice president for information technology, Central Washington University [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Fred Ramsdell, director, Novo Nordisk
Tom Ranken, president and CEO, Washington Clean Technology Alliance
Janet Rose Rea, clinical assistant professor, University of Washington, and founder, principal consultan, QARA Services [Added: 2:58 pm, 1/3/11]
Judy Rightmire, corporate communications associate, Dendreon
Bill Robertson, cGMP compliance consultant, V2 Bio-Consulting
Chris Rosenau, staffing manager, Microsoft
Eileen Roux, senior manager, Amgen
Timothy Ruane, chief executive officer, InSite Vision [Added: 4:49 pm, 1/4/11]
Abbe Rubin, secretary and treasurer, Sustainable Path Foundation
David Sabritt, president, Sabritt Solutions
William Sargent Jr., vice president of investor relations and communications, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals
Deanna Hill Saxbe, senior associate, Amgen
Nancy Scherer, owner, Altis Medical and Scientific Writing [Updated: 7:40 pm, 1/12/11]
Gordon Schiff, principal database administrator, Amgen
Ann Schmierer, strategic corporate liaison for the Georgia Institute of Technology
Dale Scott, program director, Seattle Genetics
Suzy Scott, owner, A Well Planned Event
Su Searle, corporate facilities maintenance planner/scheduler, Dendreon [Added: 3 pm, 1/13/11]
Kurt Shanebeck, scientist, Allozyne [Added: 12:40 pm, 1/6/11]
Robin Shapiro, founder and CEO, Health Advocacy Strategies
Alicia Sharkey, quality assurance contractor, Bayer Healthcare
Victoria Shaw, clinical consultant, ZymoGenetics
Beth Shore, executive assistant
Muriel Siadak, director of medical science liaisons, Seattle Genetics
John Sims, executive director, Amgen
Pallavur Sivakumar, principal scientist, cellular immunology, Novo Nordisk
Joan Skelly, data center manager, IBM @Amgen [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Jennifer Slack, board member, Sustainable Path Foundation
Paul Sleath, president and CEO, Dharma Therapeutics
Craig Smith, founder, chairman of the scientific advisory board, VLST
Jennifer Smith-Yuen, director of global project management, Amgen
Pamela Smolak, senior research associate, VLST [Updated: 9:31 pm, 1/11/11]
James Smothers, director, GlaxoSmithKline
Mark Snyder, associate director, HIV marketing, Gilead Sciences
Julia Sokol, regulatory affairs and quality biopharmaceutical professional
Melanie Solari, facilities manager, Bayer Healthcare [Added: 2:40 pm 1/3/11]
Susan Specht, director of investor relations, Dendreon
Roxanne Splett-Young, senior associate lab, Amgen
Suzanne Sprunger, patent attorney
Subha Srinivasan, founder and president, Jivan Biologics
Dave Staley, electrical engineer, Washington Division of URS Corporation [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Kim Stocking, principal veterinarian, Amgen [Added: 7:15 pm, 1/21/11]
Rick Stead, founder and principal, Biopharma Consulting Services
Marie Steffens, senior business analyst, Dendreon
Jody Stephens, paralegal, Corbis
Shelia Stephens, associate director of data management, Janssen Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy R&D
Kendall Stever, chief financial officer, BGS Pharmacy Partners
Linda Strader, Realter, Coldwell Banker Danforth
Craig Strathdee, executive scientist, Amgen [Added: 8:20 am, 1/23/11]
Kay Stremler, consultant, Stremler International Solutions
Bill Stretch, senior program manager, product development, Dendreon
Ann Suhadolnik, clinical research consultant
Margaret Summersgill, senior project manager, Amgen
Loni Syltebo, principal, Incline Marketing
Scott Taylor, senior scientist, Amgen
Dennis Thireault, project manager for business development and marketing analysis, PPD scientist, Hunan Youtell Biochemical
Doug Thompson Kisker, project manager, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Allison Torgesen, senior QC analyst, Seattle Genetics
Sandra Toussaint, office manager, PPD
Anne Trench, board member, Danica Children’s Foundation; Instructor, English for Parents, Atlantic Street Center [Added: 9 pm, 1/4/11]
Wayne Tsuji, associate clinical professor, University of Washington
Bob Ulrich, principal IS DBA, Amgen
Susan Ulrich-Angell, clinical trial associate I, Dendreon
David Urdal, executive vice president, chief scientific officer, Dendreon
Annette Vahratian, principal, AV Biopharma Consulting
Carol Vaisanen, senior consultant
Tim Vanden Bos, biotechnology professional
Gayle Van Mouwerik, senior project coordinator, Amgen
Kirk Van Ness, senior manager of preclinical development, AVI Biopharma
Moya Vazquez, biotechnology marketing consultant
William Villella, regional medical head, Novartis
Jo Viney, executive director of research, Amgen
G. Duke Virca, senior director of inflammation research, Amgen
Dawn Viveash, senior vice president, head of global quality, regulatory affairs, and safety, Orexigen Therapeutics
Wayne Wallis, principal, Dyad Life Science
Lee Wanke, independent pharmaceuticals professional
Susan Ware, business analyst, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Tim Warner, communications executive
Steve Waugh, director of downstream process development, CMC Icos Biologics
Bill Waye, senior database administrator, Amgen
Tim Westhoff, records manager, Sharebuilder
Cathi White, owner, ZLC & Associates
James Whitmore, vice president of biometrics, Dendreon
Mike Widmer, chairman of the board, Genmab
Christopher Wight, counsel at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Janis Wignall, owner, Wignall Consultant
Steven Wiley, founder and president, Imdaptive
Doug Williams, executive vice president of R&D, Biogen Idec [Updated:10:30 pm, 1/5/11]
Anita Williamson, contract recruiter
Robb Wolfe, information technology professional [Added: 4:40 pm, 1/4/11]
Sharon Wong-Madden, project manager, malaria program, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Mei-Ling Woo, agent/owner, State Farm Insurance
Zhengbin (Bing) Yao, senior vice president of respiratory, inflammation, autoimmunity, MedImmune [Added: 9:35 pm, 1/4/11]
Che-Hung Yeh, head of U.S. IMP quality operations, Roche/Genentech
Vanessa Pham Yi, manager, document administration, Quorum Review IRB
Adel Youakim, independent arts/crafts professional
Scott Young, supervisor, site engineering, Bayer Healthcare
Beth Ziemba, director of global safety surveillance, ZymoGenetics
Ed Zimney, safety operations physician, Genentech
Travis Zundel, executive account manager, Lifespan Biosciences
Craig Zupke, principal scientist, Amgen
