Iris Loew - Friedrich

Iris brings over 30 years of global leadership in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and pharmaceutical R&D execution. From 2008 to 2024, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, and Head of Development at UCB, where she led global clinical programs in CNS, immunology, and rare diseases. Her leadership contributed to the approvals of bimekizumab (Bimzelx®), rozanolixizumab (Rystiggo®), zilucoplan (Zilbrysq®), brivaracetam (Briviact®), and romosozumab (Evenity®), with regulatory success across the U.S., EU, and international markets. She chaired UCB’s Benefit-Risk Board and held global responsibility for Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Safety/Pharmacovigilance, Real World Evidence, Biometrics, and Medical Affairs.

Prior to UCB’s acquisition of Schwarz Pharma in 2007, Iris formed and led Schwarz’s integrated global development organization. Under her leadership, Schwarz advanced lacosamide (Vimpat®), rotigotine (Neupro®), and fesoterodine (Toviaz®), including through strategic partnerships with Pfizer and Otsuka. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles at BASF Pharma, Aventis, and Hoechst Marion Roussel, where she directed global programs including adalimumab (Humira®), leflunomide (Arava®), and risedronate (Actonel®), and served as key presenter to the FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee for Arava.

A trained physician with board certification in internal medicine, Iris holds a PhD in cell biology and began her career as a physician-scientist and Associate Professor at the University Hospital Frankfurt.