Genzyme Names Ex-Lilly Exec to Head Manufacturing

Genzyme, continuing a shake-up of top management, said it has hired the former head of manufacturing at drugmaker Eli Lilly to lead its global manufacturing and corporate operations. The hiring of Scott Canute is the latest in a series of actions by Cambridge, Mass.-based Genzyme as it works to emerge from a manufacturing crisis that lead to a shortage of two major drugs and damaged management's credibility with patients and
investors.

Last month the biotechnology company named Ron Branning, formerly head of quality and compliance at Gilead Sciences, to take charge of global quality control.

At Lilly, Canute directed all manufacturing and supply chain activities for operations spanning 24 manufacturing sites around the world and more than 80 contract manufacturing operations. He left Lilly in 2007 to pursue educational interests in business leadership and ethics, Genzyme said. At Genzyme, one of the world's biggest biotechnology companies, Canute will oversee production of products manufactured at 17 sites around the globe.