William Carson, M.D.

President & CEO
Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC)

William Carson, M.D., is president and CEO of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). He is responsible for leading the team that develops new products and brings them to market, as well as creating strategic plans for the company's product portfolio to ensure development programs meet quality and safety standards required by medical and regulatory agencies. In addition, Carson serves as the company's representative to regulatory and legislative agencies and oversees the company's product portfolio investments.

Since his appointment in 2010, Carson has led the development efforts of compounds in neuroscience, cardio-renal and oncology. He was instrumental in the development and 2015 FDA approval of REXULTI^® (brexpiprazole) for treatment of adults with schizophrenia and as adjunctive therapy in conjunction with an antidepressant medication for treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). He has also guided the development and registration of Abilify Maintena^® (aripiprazole) for extended-release injectable suspension as well as the cardiorenal product SAMSCA^® (tolvaptan), marking the first time Otsuka successfully developed and commercialized a product entirely on its own in the United States.

Carson joined Otsuka in 2002 as a board-certified psychiatrist and served as OPDC’s senior vice president, global clinical development, overseeing the development of Otsuka-discovered compounds. During his career at Otsuka—and earlier at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)—he was one of the key drivers in the development and commercialization of ABILIFY^® (aripiprazole), which Otsuka marketed in collaboration with BMS. Among his many contributions, he led the Aripiprazole Pediatric Efficacy Trials Team, which started the life cycle management programs at Otsuka.

Prior to joining Otsuka, Carson was group director in Neuroscience Clinical Research and Development at BMS, responsible for the clinical development of ABILIFY. Earlier in his career, he was an associate professor and director of the Inpatient and Partial Hospital Program at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Carson received a bachelor’s degree in history and science from Harvard University.