Recently, the Biotech Innovation Organization (BIO) announced a new CEO, John Crowley. Crowley is the co-founder of Amicus Therapeutics and long-time BIO board member and former BIO Vice Chair, and he will take over for interim BIO CEO, Rachel King.
Crowley assumed the CEO role on March 4, 2024, and according to the BIO announcement, he will “be pivotal in helping BIO reimagine how the world thinks about drug development.” Crowley is the father to two children living with a rare disease, giving him a unique perspective and understanding of the challenges that patients, families, and caregivers face. He has a history of supporting policies that “empower innovation, enable entrepreneurship, and put patients first” and for speaking out about the importance of universal access to medicines.
Crowley has previously served in healthcare research at Bristol-Myers Squibb, leaving that company to start Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, which was ultimately acquired by Genzyme Corporation, where Crowley continued his work as senior vice president. In 2003, Crowley left Genzyme to start Orexigen Therapeutics and a year later, joined Amicus Therapeutics, becoming CEO there in 2005. Crowley has also served in the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer.
“In every role I’ve held in my life—biotech founder, U.S. Navy intelligence officer, husband and most importantly, father and grandfather—I have asked myself, ‘What is the mission?’” said Crowley. “When I founded our first company, the mission was to create a therapy to save our children and others from Pompe disease. Today, there are untold millions of children and adults waiting for ‘their’ cures and treatments – as well as literally billions of people who need agricultural advances and climate solutions that biotechnologies can provide. The mission of BIO is the mission of our members: cure patients, protect our climate, and nourish humanity. I am humbled and honored to lead BIO as we enter this golden age of medicine and the coming age of biotechnology. And I am eager to continue working alongside our members and dedicated BIO leadership and staff to drive this mission forward.”
“It’s tremendously exciting that John Crowley has agreed to step up and become the next CEO of BIO,” says Dr. Ted W. Love, BIO’s Board Chair. “It’s a tremendous thing for me on a personal level because I’ve known John for the last decade, and he’s an exceptional leader. He cares tremendously about our industry and what we do, and he’s got great relationships both within our industry, as well as in Washington, D.C., where much of his advocacy occurs, so he really is the right person at the right time to lead this organization.”
When looking towards his tenure at BIO, Crowley notes, “What is hindering patients from getting access—both in regard to knowledge and the actual ability to acquire their medicines? We need to make sure nobody ever goes without their medicines, whether it’s due to out-of-pocket costs or other barriers.” He goes on to say, “[w]e’re going to be able to address those issues by working hand in hand with all of our members, along with the BIO team in Washington, our state affiliates, and all of our partners. We need to educate the public about what biotechnology actually is. And we need to explain to them what our mission is, and what we do.”