George Scangos

George A. Scangos
Born	George A. Scangos
Nationality	American
Occupation	Biotechnology executive, molecular biologist
Known for	CEO of Biogen (2010–2016), CEO of Exelixis (1996–2010), CEO of Vir Biotechnology (2017–2023)

George A. Scangos is an American molecular biologist and biotechnology executive who spent nearly four decades leading scientific organizations in academia and industry. He is best known for his tenure as chief executive officer of Biogen (then Biogen Idec) from 2010 to 2016, during which he oversaw the development of the company's neurology pipeline, including treatments for multiple sclerosis and early-stage research into Alzheimer's disease therapies. Before Biogen, Scangos served as CEO of the genomics-focused biotechnology firm Exelixis for fourteen years, and prior to entering industry, he held positions as a professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University and as a research scientist at Bayer. After departing Biogen, he founded and led Vir Biotechnology, an infectious disease company that gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for its work on antibody therapies against SARS-CoV-2. Scangos announced his retirement from Vir in January 2023 at the age of 74.

Early Life

George A. Scangos grew up in a working-class family in the Boston area. An account of his background published by Xconomy described him as "the boy from working-class Boston," tracing his roots to a modest upbringing before he entered the worlds of academic science and biotechnology. Scangos is of Greek-American heritage, a background that has been noted in coverage of his career, particularly during his leadership of Vir Biotechnology's COVID-19 response efforts.

His early life in the Boston area shaped what would become a career defined by transitions between academic research and corporate leadership. After growing up in a blue-collar environment, Scangos pursued higher education in the biological sciences, eventually earning advanced degrees that positioned him for a career at the intersection of molecular biology and the emerging biotechnology industry.

Education

Scangos received his undergraduate education at Cornell University. He went on to earn his doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts, where he studied under the supervision of Albey Reiner. His doctoral research focused on molecular biology and genetics, laying the scientific foundation for his subsequent academic and industry career.

Following his Ph.D., Scangos conducted postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Frank Ruddle at Yale University, a prominent geneticist known for his contributions to somatic cell genetics and the development of transgenic mouse technology. This postdoctoral training exposed Scangos to cutting-edge techniques in gene transfer and mammalian genetics, areas that would prove central to the biotechnology revolution of the 1980s and 1990s. During this period, Scangos contributed to published research in the field of molecular biology, including work on gene transfer in mammalian cells.

Career

Academic Career at Johns Hopkins University

Before entering the biotechnology industry, Scangos served as a professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. During his time in academia, he conducted research in molecular biology and genetics, publishing work on topics including gene transfer mechanisms and viral genetics. His academic publications contributed to the understanding of DNA-mediated gene transfer in mammalian cells, a foundational area of knowledge for the development of gene therapy and biotechnology applications.

Scangos's transition from academia to industry reflected a broader trend in the life sciences during the late 1980s and 1990s, as molecular biologists increasingly moved into the commercial sector to translate basic research discoveries into therapeutic products.

Bayer

After leaving Johns Hopkins, Scangos joined Bayer, the German pharmaceutical and life sciences company, where he held research leadership positions. His tenure at Bayer provided him with experience in managing large-scale pharmaceutical research operations within a major multinational corporation. This corporate experience complemented his academic research background and prepared him for the CEO roles he would later assume in the biotechnology industry.

Exelixis (1996–2010)

In 1996, Scangos became the chief executive officer of Exelixis, a South San Francisco-based biotechnology company focused on using genomic approaches to discover new drug targets and develop therapeutics. He led the company for fourteen years, guiding it through the challenges of the genomics era and the difficult process of translating genetic discoveries into clinical drug candidates.

Under Scangos's leadership, Exelixis developed a pipeline focused on cancer therapeutics. The company utilized model organism genetics—including studies in Drosophila (fruit flies) and C. elegans (roundworms)—to identify novel drug targets, an approach that was innovative but required patience to yield clinical-stage products. By the late 2000s, PharmaVoice recognized Scangos for his leadership at Exelixis, profiling him under the heading "Gene Excellence" in 2009.

During his time at Exelixis, the company advanced cabozantinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor that would later receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of certain cancers, though this approval came after Scangos's departure. The business challenges of running a genomics-era biotech company were significant; a 2007 report noted the company's ongoing efforts to navigate the financial and scientific uncertainties inherent in early-stage drug development.

Scangos stepped down from Exelixis in 2010 to take the CEO position at Biogen Idec.

Biogen (2010–2016)

On June 30, 2010, Biogen Idec announced the appointment of George Scangos as its new chief executive officer, effective July 15, 2010. He was simultaneously named to the company's board of directors. At the time of his appointment, Biogen Idec was one of the largest independent biotechnology companies in the world, headquartered in Weston, Massachusetts, with a strong franchise in multiple sclerosis treatments.

Scangos's arrival at Biogen Idec marked the beginning of a period of significant strategic evolution for the company. One of his early initiatives was to relocate the company's headquarters from Weston back to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the heart of the Kendall Square biotechnology cluster. In a 2011 interview, Scangos confirmed that the company was actively working on the move to Cambridge, a decision intended to position Biogen closer to the academic research institutions and talent pool concentrated in the area.

During Scangos's tenure, Biogen made substantial investments in its neurology pipeline, particularly in multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease research. The company's MS franchise remained a core revenue driver, and under Scangos's leadership, the pipeline advanced several new therapeutic candidates. The company also pursued research into neurodegenerative diseases, including early work on aducanumab, an anti-amyloid antibody for Alzheimer's disease that would later become one of the most closely watched and debated drug candidates in the pharmaceutical industry.

A 2016 profile published by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) described Scangos's approach to drug development as being driven by scientific rigor rather than commercial expediency, characterizing his philosophy as "not just science for science's sake" but rather focused on translating scientific understanding into medicines that address patient needs.

A 2011 interview published in Nature Biotechnology provided further insight into Scangos's strategic thinking at Biogen Idec, including his views on the challenges and opportunities facing the biotechnology industry.

In July 2016, it was announced that Scangos would step down as CEO of Biogen, with reports noting that the company was at a strategic crossroads regarding the direction of its pipeline and commercial strategy. His departure came at a time when Biogen was weighing significant decisions about the future of its Alzheimer's disease program and the broader composition of its drug portfolio. The Xconomy report framed the leadership transition as occurring during a period of uncertainty for the company, though Scangos's tenure was credited with having strengthened the company's scientific foundation.

Vir Biotechnology (2017–2023)

After departing Biogen, Scangos co-founded and became CEO of Vir Biotechnology, a San Francisco-based company focused on developing therapies for infectious diseases. The company's focus on infectious disease was unusual for a biotechnology startup at the time, as most investor and industry attention was directed toward oncology, rare diseases, and neurology. Vir's platform combined immunology, virology, and computational biology to identify and develop treatments for serious infections including influenza, hepatitis B, HIV, and tuberculosis.

Vir Biotechnology gained significant public attention in early 2020 with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company rapidly pivoted portions of its research efforts toward developing antibody-based therapies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. In March 2020, Fierce Biotech reported that Vir planned to begin testing a COVID-19 antibody therapeutic "in the summer" of that year, positioning the company as one of the early entrants in the race to develop treatments for the novel coronavirus. The company's existing expertise in infectious disease biology and antibody engineering gave it a foundation from which to respond rapidly to the pandemic.

Scangos's Greek-American heritage was highlighted in coverage of his pandemic-era leadership, with Greek Reporter profiling him in March 2020 as a "Greek American scientist" heading a "global campaign for coronavirus treatment."

Vir partnered with GlaxoSmithKline on the development of sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 that received emergency use authorization from the U.S. FDA in 2021. The partnership and the resulting product represented a significant commercial and scientific achievement for the company under Scangos's leadership.

On January 25, 2023, Vir Biotechnology announced that Scangos would retire from his position as CEO, effective April 3, 2023. The company appointed Marianne De Backer, who held a MSc, Ph.D., and MBA, as his successor. De Backer joined Vir from Bayer, where she had served as a senior executive.

STAT News described Scangos at the time of his retirement as having spent "nearly 40 itinerant years" in the industry, spanning roles at Bayer, Exelixis, Biogen, and Vir, and characterized his time at Biogen as a "turnaround stint." BioPharma Dive described him as "one of the industry's more high-profile chief executives."

Post-Retirement Activities

Following his retirement from Vir Biotechnology, Scangos has continued to participate in industry discussions. At the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January 2026, he offered commentary on the role of artificial intelligence in drug discovery, predicting that AI would enable the development of drugs that would not otherwise exist. His remarks were covered by The Business Journals, which noted that while AI had not yet produced an approved drug, industry leaders like Scangos expected that to change in the near future.

Personal Life

Scangos is of Greek-American heritage. He was 74 years old at the time of his retirement announcement in January 2023. Accounts of his background have emphasized his working-class roots in the Boston area and his trajectory from modest beginnings to the leadership of major biotechnology companies.

Scangos holds a Ph.D. and is frequently referred to with the title "Dr." in industry communications and media coverage, reflecting his academic training and research background.

Recognition

Scangos received recognition from multiple industry publications over the course of his career. In 2009, PharmaVoice profiled him under the title "Gene Excellence" in recognition of his leadership at Exelixis and his contributions to genomics-based drug discovery.

His leadership at Biogen earned attention from pharmaceutical industry organizations. PhRMA profiled him in 2016, highlighting his approach to translating scientific research into therapeutic products for patients.

Vir Biotechnology, the company he co-founded, received a Fierce 15 award from Fierce Biotech, an annual recognition of the most promising early-stage biotechnology companies.

At the time of his retirement, multiple industry publications characterized Scangos as one of the biotechnology industry's most prominent executives, citing his long tenure across multiple companies and his role in advancing treatments for neurological and infectious diseases.

Legacy

George Scangos's career spanned the formative decades of the modern biotechnology industry, from the early era of gene transfer research in the 1980s through the genomics revolution of the 1990s and 2000s and into the era of precision medicine and pandemic response. His trajectory from academic molecular biologist to leader of three biotechnology companies—Exelixis, Biogen, and Vir Biotechnology—reflected the industry's maturation and the increasing importance of scientist-executives who could bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial drug development.

At Biogen, Scangos oversaw a period during which the company strengthened its neurology franchise and invested in what would become one of the most consequential and controversial Alzheimer's disease drug programs in the industry's history. While the approval and commercial trajectory of aducanumab unfolded after his departure, the foundational investment decisions were made during his tenure.

At Vir Biotechnology, Scangos demonstrated the strategic value of maintaining expertise in infectious disease at a time when most of the biotechnology industry had de-prioritized the field. The company's ability to respond rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring a monoclonal antibody therapy to emergency use authorization validated the scientific approach Scangos had championed.

His career also illustrated the role of academic training in shaping industry leadership. With a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, postdoctoral training at Yale, and a professorship at Johns Hopkins, Scangos brought a depth of scientific understanding to his executive roles that informed his approach to pipeline strategy and research investment decisions across multiple therapeutic areas.