Exelixis Statement on the Passing of Two Senior Executives

Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) today announced that Gisela M. Schwab, M.D., the company’s President, Product Development and Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, passed away over the weekend. Dr. Schwab had been on a medical leave of absence since June 18, 2021.

Exelixis President and Chief Executive Officer Michael M. Morrissey, Ph.D., issued the following statement on behalf of the Exelixis team and the company’s Board of Directors:

“All of us at Exelixis are deeply, deeply saddened by Gisela’s passing. A brilliant oncologist turned clinical development professional, Gisela was a remarkable leader, mentor, and friend. She was beloved by her colleagues, who were inspired by her strategic thinking, tireless work ethic, and above all, her unwavering dedication to improving care and outcomes for patients with cancer.

Sadly, Gisela’s passing comes on the heels of another treasured colleague, Jon Berndt, our Senior Vice President of Sales, who passed away last Wednesday following a lengthy battle with cancer. Losing Gisela and Jon in the same week, both of whom were life sciences industry veterans, is a reminder of our fragility and that cancer knows no bounds. Like Gisela, Jon was a wonderful friend and colleague, and his passing is an enormous loss to all who knew him and to the Exelixis family.”

Gisela’s Legacy

Dr. Morrissey continued: “It’s not a stretch to say that over the course of a career across leading academic research institutions and biopharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and Europe, Gisela’s work helped millions of patients with cancer. After medical and postdoctoral training, she joined Amgen and led a multifunctional team in the clinical development and worldwide registration of Neulasta, which helped transform the experience of receiving chemotherapy or radiation for patients with cancer. In 1999, she joined Abgenix, ultimately becoming the company’s Chief Medical Officer, and played an integral role in the development and approval of Vectibix, which at the time was the first entirely human antibody FDA-approved to treat colorectal cancer.

Gisela joined Exelixis in September 2006. We were incredibly fortunate to hire her, and even more fortunate to have her as our Chief Medical Officer for the past 15 years. As the leader of our Product Development and Medical Affairs organization, Gisela and her team helped usher in Exelixis’ transformation from a research and development-stage enterprise into a commercial biotechnology company. During her tenure, Gisela led her team to milestone after milestone, including the design of high-quality clinical programs and delivery of clinical data that resulted in the introduction of Exelixis medicines that benefit patients on a global basis.