wintonJeffrey Winton, VP and head of global communications for Eli Lilly and Company, has moved to the top communications slot at the U.S. unit of Japan's Astellas Pharma.

Based in Northbrook, Ill., Winton is senior VP and chief communications officer reporting to CEO Masao Yoshida.

Astellas, formed in 2005 with the merger of Yamanouchi and Fujisawa, adding OSI Pharmaceuticals in a $4B deal in 2010, has U.S./Canada sales of around $2.3B annually. Its drug lineup includes treatments for organ rejection (Prograf), overactive bladder (Vesicare) and fungus (Funguard), among others.

Before Lilly, he was group VP, global, comms., for Schering-Plough, VP, global PR, at Pharmacia, and director of PA at Roche Pharmaceuticals.