Galapagos NV announces the departure of Dr. Piet Wigerinck later this 2021. Dr. Piet Wigerinck joined Galapagos as Senior Vice President Development in 2008 and became Chief Scientific Officer in 2012, overseeing the discovery of novel drug targets through to clinical Proof-of-Concept studies. He led his teams through the very first clinical research done in healthy volunteers at Galapagos and was responsible for the Phase 2 FITZROY and DARWIN programs for filgotinib. Effective immediately, all early-stage development activities will be added to late-stage clinical development under the responsibility of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Walid Abi-Saab. Piet will remain with the company the coming five months to steer progression of early research while a new leader is sought.