Prime Therapeutics Names New CMO

Prime Therapeutics LLC has named Joseph Leach, MD, as senior vice president and chief medical officer.

Leach brings over 20 years of experience to the Minnesota PBM as a clinician, researcher and health care leader to his role.  He will lead the expansion of Prime’s specialty management capabilities and help shape the company’s total drug management strategy, according to a company press release.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Dr. Leach to Prime,” Prime’s President CEO, Ken Paulus, was quoted as saying in the press release. “Dr. Leach’s depth of experience in oncology therapy coupled with his devotion to patient-focused care will offer superb value to our clients and their members.” 

Prime, which is headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, is owned by 18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. In December, Prime and Express Scripts announced the formation of a collaboration. Express is now owned by Cigna.

Leach has held numerous leadership roles including medical director of Virginia Piper Cancer Institute in Minneapolis, past president of the Minnesota Society of Clinical Oncology and principal investigator for the Metro-Minnesota Community Oncology Research Consortium. He has also held national leadership positions in research including committee chair for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and membership in the National Cancer Institute’s Thoracic Malignancy Steering Committee, says the press release from Prime,.

Leach graduated from St. Olaf College with a BA in biology and earned his MD at the University of Minnesota. He completed training in internal medicine and medical oncology at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City and is a board-certified medical oncologist.