Title: Founder and Executive Chairman
Company: LEAF4Life Inc.
Location: Radnor, Pennsylvania, United States
Clet Niyikiza, PhD, founder and executive chairman at LEAF4Life Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in health care.
With nearly three and a half decades of experience to his credit, Dr. Niyikiza has built a distinguished career in health care, specializing in drug discovery, and stochastic processes. He is the founder and executive chairman of LEAF4Life Inc., a role he has held since 2018, and also serves as founder, president, and chief executive officer of LEAF Pharmaceuticals, established in 2014. In these positions, he applies his expertise in evaluating complex, random systems used in space research and aircraft design, while also developing innovative medicine strategies for cancer treatment. His previous roles include executive vice president of development at Merrimack from 2009 to 2014, vice president and medicine development leader at GSK from 2005 to 2009, global oncology pharmacogenomics leader at Eli Lilly and Company from 1993 to 2005, and scientist at Syntex Corporation from 1991 to 1993.
Dr. Niyikiza also volunteers at children’s cancer hospitals and is an active member of the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the C-Change National Forum. He laid a strong educational foundation, earning a Bachelor of Science from the International Institute of Statistics and Economics, a Master of Science in statistics and applied economics from the African Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, and a PhD in mathematics and statistics from Indiana University Bloomington.
Reflecting on his path, as executive vice president of development at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Niyikiza contributed to the approval of ONIVYDE® for advanced pancreatic cancer. At GlaxoSmithKline, he led global anti-cancer strategies, and during his tenure at Eli Lilly, he was instrumental in developing pivotal drugs such as GEMZAR® and ALIMTA®, earning recognition for his groundbreaking scientific contributions. His career achievements include the successful market launch of six cancer drugs across 17 approved indications in the U.S. and Europe, along with the development of transformative mobile drugs that have revolutionized cancer care globally. In light of his imporessive undertakings, he has received numerous honors, including the Health Care Innovator Award from the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2016, recognition as Scientist of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, and the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Award for a New Class of Drugs for Cancer. Additionally, he is a member of President George H.W. Bush’s C-Change forum and leading oncology organizations, where he dedicates his time to shaping the future of cancer treatment.
Dr. Niyikiza attributes his success to the values instilled in him during his upbringing in eastern Africa, particularly the determination and integrity encouraged by his mother. He emphasizes the importance of fostering values that promote good citizenship and positively contributing to society, with his work rooted in the belief that success is measured by the positive impact on others. Looking ahead, he is dedicated to developing new treatments for life-threatening diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and is committed to addressing unmet medical needs. A key focus is creating anti-aging therapies, driven by the desire to help people age gracefully and remain resilient. He is also exploring treatments for wartime injuries, recognizing the urgent need for solutions to mitigate the effects of conflict-related trauma.
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