Juno Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, announced the appointment of Ann L. Lee, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President of Technical Operations. Dr. Patrick Y. Yang will assume the role of Executive Vice President, Senior Advisor to the CEO. Both will report to Hans Bishop, President and CEO, and work to further advance Juno as a global leader in T cell engineering and manufacturing.

In her new role, Dr. Lee will be responsible for process development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality assurance, and end-to-end process and platform optimization for all aspects of Juno’s engineered T cell product candidates.

Prior to joining Juno, Dr. Lee held senior leadership positions at RocheGenentech, where she served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Pharma Technical Development, and led a team of more than 2,500 professionals responsible for end-to-end chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC), and technical support for all pipeline and commercial products. She also spent over 16 years at Merck & Co., Inc., where she led many of the company's vaccine development efforts and served as project leader for several vaccine products, including quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine. She also served as Vice President of Chemical Technology and Engineering in Merck's Manufacturing Division, where she directed the development, design and start-up of chemical manufacturing facilities, and led supply chain optimization and process improvements for new and licensed products.

"Ann's notable credentials and successful track record in delivering technological innovation and advancing drug pipelines to commercialization will serve Juno well as it moves into the next stage of its growth," said Hans Bishop, Juno’s President and CEO. "Her experience aligns perfectly with our mission to develop and bring best-in-class therapies to market."

Over the course of her career, Dr. Lee has been involved in the successful development and commercialization of 22 medicines and vaccines and has received several awards and distinctions in science and engineering including recognition as an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, and as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition, she was recognized as one of the 150 most influential women in Bay Area Business.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Juno team in its quest to develop new breakthrough treatments for patients with cancer,” said Dr. Lee. “The values of the company really resonate with my passion for teamwork to develop new products, and I see the opportunities in this role as a great fit for my own experiences, expertise, and love for learning as we pursue innovative technologies and next-generation manufacturing, and focus on successful commercialization and reliable supply of the late stage products.”

Dr. Yang had previously been Juno’s interim leader for Technical Operations. Before serving in this role, Dr. Yang was Roche’s Executive Vice President and Global Head of Technical Operations from 2010 to 2013. He was previously Executive Vice President, Product Operations of Genentech. Prior to joining Genentech in 2003, Dr. Yang spent 11 years at Merck & Company in various leadership positions including vice presidential roles in manufacturing and supply chain management. Dr. Yang also spent 12 years at General Electric, serving in various research, engineering, technology, and manufacturing leadership roles.