Thursday, February 5, 2009

Vertex founder, CEO Boger retires

By Mass High Tech staff

Video Gallery

Live from BIO 2008: Josh Boger, president and CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the retirement of company founder and current president, CEO and chairman Joshua Boger, who will continue in his position through May 23. The Cambridge-based biotech immediately appointed former CEO of Shire PLC and Vertex board member Matthew Emmens to replace Boger at the helm.

Boger founded Vertex (Nasdaq: VRTX) in 1989 and has since also served as chairman of the board of directors for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and member of the board of directors for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

Emmens brings a history of serving the pharmaceutical industry at Shire, Merck KGaA, Astra Merck Inc. and Merck & Co. He currently serves as chairman of the board at Shire.

Vertex announced last month that it put on hold its plans to moved company headquarters from Cambridge to Fan Pier in Boston. Instead, Vertex extended a pair of leases at its current Cambridge site.