STAT+: Sanofi names new R&D head as it tries to jumpstart pipeline

- STAT+: Sanofi’s new R&D head, Paulo Fontoura, arrives from Xaira Therapeutics. That’s the hook: an AI-focused drug discovery firm. He brings neurology chops and Roche tenure to replace Ashrafian. Under CEO Garijo, Sanofi is trying to jumpstart its pipeline, likely leaning on those AI tools for target identification. It’s a structural shift—trading traditional pharma inertia for algorithmic speed. No panic here, just a diagnostic dance of corporate realignment. Fontoura’s background suggests a heavy reliance on computational biology to filter biological noise. For the biotech desk, this signals that AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s becoming the chief medical officer’s primary scalpel. The hash manifest of innovation is being rewritten. We watch the trials, not the press releases. Friends! Let’s see if the code cures better than the handshake.