From the classroom to the boardroom: meet the graduate at the forefront of an innovative pharmaceutical company

Published on 26, November, 2025

A graduate from the University of Sunderland has shared his story on his journey from Wearside to the boardroom of an innovative pharmaceutical company exploring new ways to tackle smoking.

Alumnus Craig Donnelly has been appointed as Chief Operations Officer (COO) at specialty pharmaceutical company Achieve Life Sciences, bringing over 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience to his new role.

Originally from Jarrow, Craig’s journey started at the University in 1995, where he studied Chemical & Pharmaceutical Science.

Craig said: “I had a great time while at University, I look back on it with quite a lot of fondness. I have great respect for the group of lecturers I had; it was clear that they all had a real interest in the areas where the course focused.

“I also really liked the practical and industry-focused aspects of how the course was built.

“I particularly benefited from the industrial placement that I did during my studies. It was a great experience and when I look back and reflect on it, it helped me hit the ground running and set me up for my career in the industry.”

Graduating with a first-class degree in 1999, Craig began his career at Pfizer as an analytical chemist and later rose through the ranks to help steer projects at the company.

Over the course of his career, Craig worked in a range of senior roles across the sector, including NuCana, ICON and F. Hoffman-La Roche and has developed expertise in both the technical development of new products and regulatory chemistry, manufacturing and controls, also known as CMC.

Craig said: “I’ve learnt a lot from the various roles I’ve had over my career and that has really positioned me for success. It was important for me to seek out exciting opportunities and interesting work over my career, and its set me up to where I am now.”

In 2023, Craig joined Achieve Life Sciences as Senior Vice President CMC and became COO in 2025.

Craig now helps lead the integration of the company’s supply chain and manufacturing activities with its commercial strategy in anticipation of the commercial launch of cytisinicline in mid-late 2026.

Cytisinicline, a new drug developed by Achieve Life Sciences, will be used as a treatment for nicotine dependence to help people stop smoking and vaping. If approved by U.S. regulators, cytisinicline would be the first new smoking treatment in nearly two decades.

Craig said: "I am honoured to take on this expanded role as Chief Operations Officer during such an exciting period for Achieve Life Sciences.

"Cytisinicline represents a significant opportunity to address the unmet medical need in smoking cessation, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to ensure we have the operations infrastructure and processes in place to deliver this important treatment to patients who need it most."

Dr John Lough, Programme Leader for MSc Drug Discovery and Development at the University who taught Craig during his studies, said: “I can fully endorse Craig's appreciation of the importance of his industrial placement year. On the course we try to replicate what happens in industry but, still, the placement year can be the difference maker.

“At the time, I had the pleasure of making twice-yearly visits to students at their placement company. As ever, we had quite a few very able students, but Craig really came to the fore when out on placement. It was immediately clear that he had very readily taken to the demands of working life in a pharmaceutical company.

“This served him very well in his final year and subsequently, within a short time of taking up a permanent role at Pfizer he was being used as a company ambassador for recruitment campaigns at universities. Clearly, that was just the start of his success story."

Professor Laura Stroud, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing at the University of Sunderland, said: “Many congratulations to Craig on his appointment - his company are innovating in an important field, tackling smoking.  

“I read with pleasure and pride about the support and encouragement received when he was studying with us – I know that the teams are as dedicated to the student experience today as they were then. Craig’s career path will be an inspiration to our students.”

If you’re interested in studying Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.

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