Singapore: Japan-based, Takeda pharmaceuticals has tapped Sanofi's executive, Mr Andrew Plump, to head global research and development of Sanofi.

Mr Plump, the senior vice president for research and translational medicine at Sanofi will join Takeda from February 2015.

According to a statement mentioned on the company's website, Mr Plump's expertise will help Takeda in developing new medicines and replace the revenues lost after its blockbuster drug Actos, faced generic competition in 2012.

President Christophe Weber said in the statement, "I am fully confident that Mr Plump, with his deep experience in drug discovery and development and his past work in areas directly relevant to Takeda, will sustain and enhance our best-in-class R&D enterprise."