FibroGen founder Neff dies suddenly as drug he championed racks up milestones

After founding FibroGen in 1993 and leading the company for 26 years, chairman and CEO Thomas B. Neff passed away over the weekend unexpectedly. His death comes as FibroGen nears the critical U.S. and European filings for its Astellas- and AstraZeneca-partnered oral anemia med roxadustat, which recently won its second approval in China. With Neffs death, FibroGen has appointed 9-year board member James Schoeneck as its interim CEO. The company is seeking a world-class replacement to take the helm. Neff leaves a legacy of innovation and dedication that has been rarely matched in this industry, FibroGens board said in a statement. He founded the company in 1993 and his work led to the development of roxadustat and pamrevlumab, which is in testing for fibrosis and associated diseases. “The board of directors, management team, and employees, deeply mourn his passing, and extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his family,” the statement added. Monday’s sad news comes right on the heels of roxadustat’s second approval in China for anemia patients not on dialysis. The drug won an approval there last December for anemia in dialysis patients, its first in the world.