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Health care company Bayer continued to bolster its cancer-fighting efforts, appointing two new executives to its leadership team in the oncology unit.Health care company Bayer continued to bolster its cancer-fighting efforts, appointing two new executives to its leadership team in the oncology unit.

Rebecca Jolley, a former Eisai executive, will now be senior vice president and commercial head, oncology, while Dr. Scott Z. Fields, who had been with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, will be SVP and pharmaceutical development head, oncology.

“It is important that we stay focused on the science coupled with speed and agility to help bring important new medications and indications to patients as quickly and prudently as possible,” Robert LaCaze, Bayer executive vice president and head of the oncology strategic business unit, said in a prepared statement. “Scott’s global product development expertise combined with Rebecca’s experience in successfully bringing products to market strengthens our ability to get medicines to patients.”

Jolley had been SVP, Americas commercial, in the oncology business group at Eisai, leading the oncology commercial strategy and implementation. Before Eisai, she spent more than 20 years at Novartis in a variety of roles.

Fields was vice president and head of clinical oncology with Vertex, overseeing global development of the company’s oncology assets. He has also worked for Smithkline Beecham, Amgen, Eisai and Arno, as well as practicing oncology in academic settings.

Bayer, which has its U.S. headquarters in Whippany, named a new head of oncology for its pharmaceuticals division earlier this month.