Kenneth L. Massey, Pharm.D., a visionary medical affairs expert and the chief life sciences officer at Saama Technologies was awarded the 2018 University of Florida College of Pharmacy Outstanding Pharmacy Alumnus Award at the college’s commencement ceremony on May 7. The award recognizes an alumnus whose lifetime contributions have been truly extraordinary with lasting benefits to the profession.
For more than 30 years, Massey has served as a dynamic and innovative leader in academic pharmacy and executive leadership roles in multiple global pharmaceutical companies. As chief life sciences officer, Massey drives market leadership for Saama’s life sciences data analytics solutions. He oversees Phase I through Phase III-plus clinical development and identifies new opportunities for clients to use Saama’s technology to successfully optimize the drug development process and launch new therapies into the marketplace.
Prior to joining Saama, Massey was the vice president of U.S. Medical Affairs at Merck. There he was responsible for all aspects of strategic planning, governance and management of the U.S. Medical Affairs organization. He led a team of more than 200 professionals that provided Merck’s scientific interface with all key customers and managed market decision makers. Under his guidance, he implemented a new medical affairs organization to drive strategy and enable engagement with therapeutic and payer stakeholders, professional societies and patient advocacy groups. He also drove a new strategic approach to continuing medical education based on regional variances in care delivery.
Massey previously held vice president positions at Novartis and was head of medical affairs at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, or MTPA. He led the initial creation and management of a medical affairs organization at MTPA that focused on health economics and outcomes research, a field-based medical program, publication planning and continuing medical education. During his 10 years at Novartis, Massey led the company’s scientific operations, field operations and medical affairs teams. As vice president of scientific operations, he expanded the regional medical program from 12 colleagues to more than 250 health care professionals responsible for Novartis’ drug development programs from phase II forward. Under Massey’s leadership as vice president of field operations, he aligned all 600 field based colleagues to optimize clinical trial execution and advocacy development from phase II through phase IV. As vice president of medical affairs, he oversaw strategic planning, governance and management of medical affairs.
Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, Massey held faculty appointments at the University of Tennessee Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine in Memphis. Massey focused his educational and original research efforts on the management of pediatric patients and directed a pharmacology consultation service at Memphis’ Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. In this clinical setting, he mentored postdoctoral fellows and residents and provided a clinical rotation site for the college’s Doctor of Pharmacy candidates.
Massey is a third generation pharmacist following his paternal grandfather and father, Lamar Massey, in the profession. He received his Bachelor of Science, ʼ82, and Doctor of Pharmacy, ʼ84, degrees from UF and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric clinical pharmacology under the direction of Leslie Hendeles, Pharm.D., and Allen Neims, M.D., Ph.D. Massey received the college’s Distinguished Service Pharmacy Alumnus Award in 2003 and served on the college’s former National Advisory Board.