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LifeCycle Pharma Forms Scientific Advisory Board in
Solid Organ Transplantation
Expands U.S. Clinical Development Operations With Appointment of Senior Director
of Medical and Clinical Research and Director of Medical Affairs Transplantation
Summary: LifeCycle Pharma has established a Scientific Advisory Board for its
transplantation programs. In addition, LifeCycle Pharma announces the expansion
of its United States (U.S.) clinical development department with the addition of
Drs. Rob Gordon and Larry Chodoff
Denmark, Hørsholm, 21 June 2007; LifeCycle Pharma A/S (OMX:LCP) today announced
the formation of an international Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of experts in
the field of organ transplantation. The SAB will provide counsel to the
company’s management team as LifeCycle Pharma expands its development programs
within the area of solid organ transplantation.
The SAB consists of six internationally recognized thought leaders from the U.S.
and Europe, including:
Dr. Rita R. Alloway, Director of Transplant Clinical Research, University of
Cincinnati
Dr. Klemens Budde, Medical Director of Transplantation, Charite University
Hospital, Berlin
Dr. Robert S. Gaston, Medical Director of Kidney & Pancreas Transplantation,
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Dr. Josep M. Grinyo, Chief, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital of
Bellvitge, Barcelona
Dr. John R. Lake, Director, Gastroenterology Division, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis
Dr. Marc D. Pescovitz, Professor of Surgery and Microbiology/Immunology, Indiana
University Medical Center, Indianapolis
"As LifeCycle Pharma advances its product portfolio within organ
transplantation, the Scientific Advisory Board will provide an instrumental role
in guiding our research and development programs," said Dr. Flemming Ornskov,
President and CEO of LifeCycle. “We have attracted established, and highly
respected members of the transplantation field who will play a pivotal role in
LifeCycle Pharma bringing innovation to this disease area,” added Dr. Orsnkov.
In addition, LifeCycle Pharma has strengthened its clinical development
capabilities in the U.S. with the addition of Drs. Robert Gordon, as Senior
Director of Medical and Clinical Research, and Larry Chodoff, as Director of
Medical Affairs Transplantation.
Dr. Gordon is an internationally respected transplant surgeon who has spent more
then 30 years in academia and industry. He was a member of the team that was
headed by the world renowned transplant surgeon, Dr. Thomas Starzl, at the
University of Colorado and the University of Pittsburgh. From 1992 until he
moved to industry, Dr. Gordon was Professor of Surgery and Director of the Liver
Transplant Service at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Most
recently, Dr. Gordon was the Senior Medical Director for Transplantation at
Roche Laboratories in Nutley, New Jersey.
After 17 years of practice at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, New
York, Dr. Larry Chodoff joined Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation in 1997, as
Associate Director of Clinical Research, managing global research and
development programs in organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases. Prior to
joining LifeCycle Pharma, Dr. Chodoff held the position of Medical Liaison in
Transplantation and Immunology at Roche Laboratories. Dr. Chodoff received his
Pharm.D. from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1979.
“Their combined experience of more than 50 years of working within the area of
organ transplantation will be a great asset for LifeCycle Pharma as our
LCP-Tacro program enters Phase II clinical trials,” said Dr. Michael Beckert,
Chief Medical Officer at LifeCycle Pharma, who will oversee the responsibilities
of Drs. Rob Gordon and Larry Chodoff.
About LCP-Tacro:
Tacrolimus is a leading immunosuppressive medication to prevent rejection after
organ transplantation. LCP-Tacro is being developed as a once-daily tablet
version of tacrolimus, with improved bioavailability and reduced variability;
compared to both Astellas’ twice daily version of tacrolimus (Prograf®), and its
modified-release version of tacrolimus for organ transplants. This is expected
to represent significant improvements for patients.
Transplant patients need to maintain a minimum level of tacrolimus in the blood
to prevent organ rejection, but too high levels increase the risk of serious
side effects such as, kidney damage or hypertension. Therefore, tacrolimus
levels need to be managed carefully. Transplant patients are typically obliged
to make frequent visits to the hospital for monitoring and dose adjustments for
months after receiving a new organ. Management of the tacrolimus levels is
complicated by the low bioavailability of Prograf®, its variable absorption, and
its interaction with food and other drugs.
For further information please contact:
LifeCycle Pharma A/S
Michael Wolff Jensen
Executive Vice President and CFO
Tel. +45 40 74 62 44
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About LifeCycle Pharma A/S:
LifeCycle Pharma, headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark, is an emerging
pharmaceutical company with a broad and late stage product pipeline in
therapeutic areas of cholesterol management, hypertension, organ transplant and
autoimmune diseases. LifeCycle Pharma’s proprietary technology platform,
MeltDose® technology, offers lower dosing, reduced side effects and improved
safety and patient compliance, as well as reduced product development time and
development costs. LifeCycle Pharma is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange under
the trading symbol (LCP). Please visit www.lcpharma.com for further information
about LifeCycle Pharma A/S.
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