Canadian firm AEterna Zentaris has announced a new face will be joining its management team in the form of Nicholas Pelliccione. Pelliccione will take up the position of senior vice president, regulatory affairs and quality assurance at the company, helping to take the firm forward as it reaches "a critical inflection point in the evolution of the company".

Pelliccione joins the biopharmaceutical company as it works to advance its phase III programme for cetrorelix for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prepare for a New Drug Application (NDA) expected in 2009.

Pelliccione joins AEterna Zentaris from Chugai Pharma USA where he was senior vice president of regulatory and pharmaceutical sciences, and also spent over 15 years in a variety of positions at Schering Plough.

Pharma giant Eli Lilly has also announced a couple of changes at the top, with Anne Nobles assuming the role of chief compliance officer for the company.

Nobles will also take on the role of vice president for compliance and enterprise risk management following 16 years working at Eli Lilly in a variety of roles.

Joseph Zakrzewski has had a busy week, having been appointed chief executive officer of manufacturing firm Xcellerex, as well as being elected to the board of directors of DOV Pharmaceutical.

Most recently chief operating officer at Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Zakrzewski also served 16 years at Eli Lilly in a number of executive level positions. He joins Xcellerex as the company pushes forward to commercialise its proprietary manufacturing technology for biotherapeutics and vaccines. Zakrzewski's predecessor, Mike Masterson, remains at the company as advisor and member of the board of directors.

Zakrzewski will also serve on biopharmaceutical firm DOV's board of directors as a class II member.