Kenilworth, New Jersey-based Merck & Co. Inc. announced this week the hiring of the first general counsel for a company it plans on spinning off for its women's health, legacy brands and biosimilars businesses.

Deborah Telman will begin her role as general counsel of Organon & Co. next week. She will be based in Kenilworth until the spinoff is completed. Then she will move to Organon's headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Telman was not available for an interview Thursday.

"I am very pleased and excited to have Deb join us and direct our legal, compliance and health and safety strategies at Organon," Kevin Ali, the appointed CEO of Organon, said in the press release. "Her experience and expertise will be fundamental in advancing Organon & Co.'s vision to be the world's leading women's health company."

Most recently, Telman served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. She has also served as general counsel at Johnson Controls and held in-house roles at Abbott Laboratories and The Boeing Co. She also worked as a partner at Winston & Strawn. Telman graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1993.

Merck announced that it planned on spinning off Organon in February. The spinoff is slated to be completed in the first half of 2021. Merck will retain its portfolio of "key growth drivers" in oncology, vaccines, hospital and animal health. The spinoff will reduce Merck's human health manufacturing footprint by 25% and reduce the number of its human health products by 50%.

"Her counsel will help set the new company on a path to positively impact the lives of patients and improve public health," Kenneth Frazier, CEO of Merck, said in the press release.