Dr Luis Jodar | Vice President, Vaccines, Global, Medicines Development group and Scientific Affairs
Pfizer

Dr Luis Jodar, Vice President, Vaccines, Global, Medicines Development group and Scientific Affairs, Pfizer

Dr. Luis Jodar is Vice president, Global Vaccines, Medicines Development Group and Scientific Affairs at Pfizer Inc. In this position, Dr. Jodar is responsible of designing and supervising Pfizer’s global vaccine medical plans as well as approving development programs for Pfizer vaccine’s portfolio. From 2010-2012, Dr. Jodar was Head of Vaccines, Medical Affairs for Emerging Markets comprising Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Before being acquired by Pfizer, Dr. Jodar was Executive Director for Clinical and Scientific Affairs for the Asia Pacific (AP) Region at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals where he coordinated the vaccine-related medical, scientific and policy issues for all the countries in the region.
 
From 2002-2008, Dr. Jodar was Deputy Director General at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, Korea, an international organization established by the United Nations for the development, introduction and use of new vaccines. At the IVI, he was responsible of directing the IVI’s Translational Research Division which conducts programs of interdisciplinary research, including pre-licensure and post-licensure clinical trials, epidemiological research, studies of the economics of vaccine introduction, sociobehavioral and policy research on vaccines against cholera, typhoid fever, shigellosis, rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, Haemophilus influenzae b, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The Division employed over 40 staff, more than half MDs or PhDs. Dr. Jodar was as well adjunct professor at Seoul National University, School of Public Health.
Previously, from 1996-2002, Dr. Jodar worked at the World Health Organization (WHO) leading the vaccine research and introduction of meningococcal vaccines, activities related to adverse events allegations and quality, safety and correlates of protection of vaccines against encapsulated bacteria. He provided early scientific leadership, coordination and technical supervision of the Meningitis Vaccine Project granted with US$70 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the development, production, evaluation and introduction of a group A meningococcal vaccine into high risk populations in 18 countries of the African meningitis belt. 
 
Prior to joining the WHO, he worked at the European Commission in Brussels as the focal point of the Task Force for Vaccines and Viral Diseases.
Dr. Jodar is a neuroimmunologist with doctoral and post-doctoral training in Madrid, Osaka and Nagasaki Universities. 
 
Dr. Jodar has worked in vaccine-related programs in more than 50 countries around the world including developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, published in the most accredited peer-review journals (e.g. the Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine) and served on a number of advisory groups on vaccines to WHO, the EU, vaccine manufacturers and Governments. He has a long track-record in launching and coordinating public private partnerships involving large alliances of vaccine producers, international organizations, academic institutions, government research laboratories, and Ministries of Health to accelerate the development, clinical evaluation, registration,  introduction and commercialization of vaccines of public health importance for developing and middle-income countries having received more than 100MUS$ in grants. He has also been awarded with several honors including the “cross of officer of the order of civil merit” from the King of Spain for his work in vaccines and vaccination in developing countries.

back to speakers