GSK GSK plc

By Joseph Walker 

Moncef Slaoui, a veteran pharmaceuticals executive who helped lead the U.S. government's investment in Covid-19 vaccine development, has been fired as chairman of the board of a biotechnology startup backed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Google-parent Alphabet Inc. following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.

Glaxo, a U.K.-based drugmaker, received a letter last month alleging that Dr. Slaoui several years ago had committed acts of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct toward a Glaxo employee, Glaxo Chief Executive Emma Walmsley said in a companywide email to employees reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The alleged misconduct occurred while Dr. Slaoui was employed by Glaxo, where he led the company's vaccines unit and sat on the board of directors before retiring in 2017.

Glaxo said it hired a law firm to conduct an investigation and that the law firm substantiated the allegations.

The investigation led to the termination of Dr. Slaoui's job as chairman of Galvani Bioelectronics, a medical research company formed as a joint venture by Glaxo and Alphabet subsidiary Verily Life Sciences, Glaxo said. Glaxo is Galvani's majority shareholder.

"Dr. Slaoui's behaviors represent an abuse of his leadership position and violate our company policies, our values, and our commitment to Trust," Ms. Walmsley said in the email to employees.

"I would like to apologize unreservedly to the employee concerned and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused," Dr. Slaoui said in a statement late Wednesday. "I have the utmost respect for my colleagues and feel terrible that my actions have put a former colleague in an uncomfortable situation."

Dr. Slaoui said he is taking an immediate leave of absence from his professional responsibilities to focus on his family. "I will work hard to redeem myself with all those that this situation has impacted," he said in the statement.

A Glaxo spokeswoman declined to specify the allegations made against Dr. Slaoui. Grace Speights, a partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP who Glaxo said is leading the investigation into Dr. Slaoui on Glaxo's behalf, didn't immediately respond to an interview request.

Verily was informed by Glaxo of its decision to remove one of its appointees, Dr. Slaoui, from the board, which it is entitled to do under terms of the joint venture, a Verily spokeswoman said. "We support GSK's efforts to provide a safe and inclusive workplace for their employees," she said.

"Abuse of leadership position, in any form, will not be tolerated. Where we find evidence of inappropriate behavior, we take swift and firm action, including withholding pay and termination," Ms. Walmsley said in her email to employees.

Last year, Dr. Slaoui was appointed by former President Donald Trump to serve as chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a federally funded effort to fund the rapid development and purchase of vaccines for Covid-19.

He spoke frequently with the media about the effort's progress in developing and manufacturing vaccines from companies including Moderna Inc., where he had previously served as a director.

Dr. Slaoui resigned from his government position earlier this year following the election of President Biden.

At Glaxo, Dr. Slaoui was a prominent and highly regarded executive. The company named its first U.S. vaccine research facility the Slaoui Center for Vaccines Research Center. Glaxo intends to remove Dr. Slaoui's name from the center in Rockville, Md., and rename it, Ms. Walmsley told employees.

Write to Joseph Walker at joseph.walker@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 24, 2021 18:42 ET (22:42 GMT)

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