Mark Erion, Ph.D., is Global Vice President and Internal & External Discovery Head of Cardiovascular and Metabolism. Mark manages a team of 85 biologists, which works closely with other Janssen functions to discover and advance drug candidates into development through internal discovery or licensing opportunities for various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Mark is also responsible for the Metabolism Disease Area Stronghold, focusing on strategy and early pipeline targeting kidney disease, obesity, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In addition, Mark leads external innovation strategy for drug discovery in collaboration with academic leaders and biotechs, which operates out of J&J’s Innovation Centers.
Mark joined Janssen in 2016 from Merck, where he was Vice President and Therapeutic Area Biology Head for Cardiovascular and Diabetes. In his six years at Merck, Mark also served as Vice President and Discovery & Preclinical Site Head of Merck Research Laboratories Kenilworth, and Vice President and Worldwide Discovery Head for Diabetes and Obesity.
Mark earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from Cornell University and completed a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.