Pfizer CEO Who Led Company's Push of Chantix Suddenly Retires

New York, NYJeffrey Kindler, the CEO of Pfizer when the drug company pushed its anti-smoking pill Chantix, has unexpectedly announced his retirement, Forbes.com reports.

To replace Kindler, Pfizer's board named Ian Read, the company's head of global pharmaceuticals, to take over the role. According to the news provider, the board will choose a new chairman in a few weeks at its regularly scheduled meeting.

Shortly after Kindler took his position as the company's CEO, he argued that the company should wager more on its research laboratories and less on large acquisitions, a shift from the firm's previous strategy.

However, Kindler's strategy soon proved to be a failure, as its largest new launch, Chantix, was heavily scrutinized over its potential for psychiatric side effects, the news provider said.

In the company's release, Kindler said that his responsibilities at the company had been "incredibly demanding on me personally" and that he was looking forward to spending some time with his family.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, some people who have taken Chantix have experienced "changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts."