Bay State device maker Alere is undergoing a major shakeup as CEO Ron Zwanziger stepped down alongside a pair of high-ranking members from staff, moves that the company called part of the "ongoing review of its strategy and operations."
COO Namal Nawana stepped in as interim CEO, effective immediately. Nawana comes with a pedigree from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), where he served "various leadership roles" during a 15-year tenure.
Chief scientific officer Dave Scott and research & development senior vice president Jerry McAleer also resigned, effective immediately.
Alere is taking immediate steps to search for replacements for those positions, looking both internally and outside the company for candidates, according to an Alere statement.
The timing of the overhaul has people talking. Just last month Alere spiked a planned U.K. initial public offering for its BBI diagnostics unit, saying that the company hoped to find a better alternative, MarketWatch reported. The retreat got some harsh criticism, including from Alere shareholder Coppersmith Capital which advised that Zwanziger "move on" after failing to follow through with the IPO.
Late last year Alere won FDA clearance for its MobileLink at-home self-diagnosis system that links to the company’s Connected Health platform, plugging patients in to various wellness networks and to a personal electronic health record.
