(Reuters) – U.S. vaccine developer Vaxcyte Inc on Thursday asked board chairman Moncef Slaoui to step down, a day after GlaxoSmithKline dismissed him as an independent probe found he had sexually harassed a GSK employee several years ago.
GSK had said an investigation into Slaoui’s conduct, performed on its behalf by an independent law firm, had substantiated allegations of harassment and inappropriate contact, adding the inquiry was ongoing.
Slaoui, the former chief adviser to the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine development program known as Operation Warp Speed, had on Wednesday night acknowledged his dismissal and issued an apology.
Slaoui joined Vaxcyte’s board in July 2017 and became chairman in May 2018.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
