May 13 (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical firm Galapagos

has appointed Henry Gosebruch as its new CEO as it

steers away from a plan to split into two listed entities, it

said on Tuesday.

The Amsterdam-listed group, headquartered in the city of

Mechelen in Belgium, had said in January it planned the spinoff

of its innovative medicines business to have effect by mid-2025,

and that it would provide around 2.45 billion euros ($2.72

billion) of cash for the new entity.

Galapagos said on Tuesday that it would reevaluate the split

following regulatory and market developments and would explore

all strategic options for its business transformation.

"We are currently evaluating strategic options regarding our

clinical programs and other assets," the new CEO said in a

company statement. "In parallel, we will pursue transformative

business development opportunities in order to build an

innovative pipeline."

Gosebruch, a director of the board since 2022, will take the

helm with immediate effect, the group said in the statement,

after its previous CEO and Chairman Paul Stoffels announced in

April he would retire from the posts.

Jerome Contamine has been appointed Chair of the Board, the

group added.

Galapagos' stock has declined since late 2020, after the

group decided not to pursue the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration's approval of its experimental rheumatoid

arthritis treatment.

The group said in January it expected its reorganization to

lead to the reduction of around 300 positions in Europe, or

around 40% of its workforce.

($1 = 0.8998 euros)