Merck's biopharmaceutical division has appointed Luciano Rossetti, M.D., executive vice president and global head of R&D as of July 21.

Previously, Rossetti was senior vice president late stage development at Merck Sharp & Dohme. He was responsible for the entire clinical development from phase II to phase V across all therapeutic areas. He played a key role in shaping and implementing the development strategy of several potential breakthrough compounds such as anti PD-1. He also restructured the clinical genetics group to better leverage the collaboration between discovery and clinical development.

Rossetti will be based in Billerica, outside Boston, Mass., and share his time between Merck's headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany and Billerica—one of the company's biopharmaceutical division's four global R&D hubs.