Halozyme Therapeutics, a San Diego-based biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, has named Michael J. LaBarre, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer, succeeding Dr. Michael Shepard, who was appointed a Research Fellow for the company. The move broadens LaBarre’s responsibilities to include R&D of early pipeline assets, in addition to his role managing product development and ENHANZE platform partnerships.

“Mike has deep experience characterizing early stage assets, making him an ideal leader for our research organization as we invest further in our promising pipeline,” said Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer. “We have a full agenda for the second half of 2015 as we broaden the study of our investigational new drug PEGPH20 in multiple tumor types and prepare for our pivotal phase III study in pancreatic cancer patients. I am pleased to have a proven leader of Mike’s caliber to guide our research efforts as we invest for future growth.”

LaBarre’s career comprises more than two decades of biotech drug discovery and development experience, including work on successful approvals of commercial therapies such as RITUXAN. Prior to joining Halozyme in 2008, he was vice president, product development at Paramount BioSciences; director, analytical and protein biochemistry, discovery research at Biogen Idec; and director analytical and formulation sciences, R&D at IDEC Pharmaceuticals.