ACCESSING CLASSIFIED FILES
Decrypting documents...
Your connection is being monitored
Back to Individuals
critical risk
Robert Hugin
Former Chairman and CEO of Celgene Corporation
Pharmaceutical executive who raised the price of the cancer drug Revlimid 20 times over 15 years from $500 to $16,023 per month while extracting hundreds of millions in personal compensation
Overview
Robert J. Hugin (born 1954) served as CEO and later Executive Chairman of Celgene Corporation, one of the largest biotechnology companies in the world, from 2010 to 2018. Under his leadership, Celgene raised the price of Revlimid (lenalidomide), a critical cancer treatment for multiple myeloma and other blood cancers, 20 times over 15 years, from approximately $500 per month to over $16,023 per month. Revlimid became the single highest-grossing cancer drug in the world, generating over $12 billion in annual revenue at its peak. Hugin personal compensation during his tenure totaled hundreds of millions of dollars, including stock options and equity grants that made him one of the wealthiest pharmaceutical executives in the country. During the 2018 New Jersey Senate race, Hugin spent over $36 million of his own money on his campaign, drawing national attention to the source of his wealth. Celgene used a strategy of patent thickets and legal maneuvers to block generic competition for Revlimid, including filing over 100 patents and suing any company that attempted to produce a cheaper version. The FTC investigated Celgene anti-competitive practices. In 2019, Bristol-Myers Squibb acquired Celgene for $74 billion, one of the largest pharmaceutical mergers in history.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Oversaw 20 price increases on Revlimid over 15 years, raising the price from $500 to $16,023 per month for cancer patients
Celgene filed over 100 patents on Revlimid to block generic competition, a practice known as patent thicketing
Received hundreds of millions in personal compensation from Celgene stock options and equity while cancer patients faced financial ruin from Revlimid costs
FTC investigated Celgene anti-competitive practices including agreements with generic manufacturers to delay market entry
Spent over $36 million of personal pharmaceutical wealth on a failed 2018 New Jersey Senate campaign
Revlimid generated over $12 billion in annual revenue at peak pricing, making it the highest-grossing cancer drug in history
Celgene settled shareholder litigation for $100 million over claims the company misled investors about the Revlimid patent strategy
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Mark Alles
Successor as Celgene CEO (2016-2019) who continued the Revlimid pricing and patent strategy
Richard Sackler
Fellow pharmaceutical executive who used similar strategies to maximize drug revenue at the expense of patients
Sources & Documentation
3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Senate HELP Committee: Drug Pricing Investigation - Celgene/Revlimid(2019)
FTC: Investigation of Celgene Anti-Competitive Patent Practices(2020)
SEC: Celgene Corporation Executive Compensation Filings(2010-2018)
Personal Information
- Born
- 1954-02-28
- Birthplace
- Reading, Pennsylvania
Education
- •Princeton University (B.A.)
- •University of Virginia Darden School of Business (M.B.A.)
Key Timeline
1999
Joins Celgene as Senior Vice President
2006
Revlimid receives FDA approval for multiple myeloma; price increase strategy begins
2010
Becomes CEO of Celgene; accelerates Revlimid price increases
2016
Transitions to Executive Chairman; Revlimid price exceeds $16,000 per month
2018
Spends $36 million of personal wealth on New Jersey Senate race; loses to Bob Menendez
2019
Bristol-Myers Squibb acquires Celgene for $74 billion; Hugin departs with substantial exit compensation