DGAP-News: Raptor Pharmaceutical Adds Three Biopharmaceutical Leaders to Its Board of Directors
ID: 386734
13.04.2011 12:30
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Experience in Product Development and Commercialization to Enhance Raptor's DR
Cysteamine Program and Additional Growth Endeavors
NOVATO, Calif., 2011-04-13 12:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. ('Raptor' or the 'Company') (Nasdaq:RPTP),
announced today the appointments of Suzanne L. Bruhn, Ph.D., Vijay B. Samant
and Timothy P. Walbert to the Company's board of directors. The appointments
expand Raptor's Board to eight members.
Christopher M. Starr, Ph.D., CEO of Raptor stated, 'We are very pleased to be
welcoming Sue, Vijay and Tim to our Board. In addition to their combined
experience in building strong biotechnology companies, each will bring their
unique expertise to the board in the important areas of global regulatory
affairs, global commercial development, and product launch, and strategic
alliances - all critical to our next phase of growth as we move forward to
completing our DR Cysteamine Phase 3 clinical trial, and set plans in motion
for the potential registration and commercial launch of DR Cysteamine for
nephropathic cystinosis in 2012. Each of these individuals has expressed a
strong desire to help build Raptor into a successful global commercial company
and we look forward to benefiting from their expert guidance towards that
goal.'
Dr. Bruhn currently serves as SVP, Strategic Planning and Program Management
for Shire Human Genetic Therapies (HGT), (formerly Transkaryotic Therapies), a
division of Shire (Nasdaq:SHPGY) (LSE:SHP) specializing in developing and
commercialization of protein therapeutics for the treatment of rare orphan
genetic diseases. In this role, Dr. Bruhn has been responsible for the global
development and expansion of REPLAGAL(r), for the treatment of Fabry Disease, a
rare orphan genetic disease, into 45 countries worldwide including North and
South America (ex-US), Europe, and Asia-Pacific. As program executive for
REPLAGAL(r), Dr. Bruhn provided integrated planning for all aspects of product
development, including clinical, preclinical, regulatory, R&D, and
manufacturing from initiation of pivotal studies through approval and launch.
Dr. Bruhn's accomplishments as current Interim SVP, Global Regulatory Affairs
and previously as VP, Global Regulatory Affairs include responsibility for
leading negotiations with global regulatory agencies for clinical development
programs leading to approval of VPRIV(r) for the treatment of Type 1 Gaucher
Disease. VPRIV(r) is currently approved in 35 countries. She also led efforts for
the simultaneous US BLA and EU MAA submissions for ELAPRASE(r) for the treatment
of Hunter Syndrome (MPS II) and was responsible for negotiations with
regulatory agencies for the clinical development program leading to approval.
ELAPRASE(r) is currently approved in 45 countries. Dr. Bruhn holds a Ph.D. in
Chemistry from MIT and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Human
Genetics at Harvard Medical School for five years.
Vijay B. Samant, over the past 10 years as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Vical Inc. (Nasdaq:VICL), has led his company's emergence from a
boutique cancer company to a major player in the development of DNA vaccines
for infectious diseases and cancer therapeutics. During his tenure at Vical,
Mr. Samant established and maintained a partnering network with industry
leading pharmaceutical companies, including Merck, Sanofi Aventis, Novartis,
Merial, AnGes and others and raised nearly $200 million in new capital from key
institutional shareholders. Mr. Samant has also established alliances with
public funding agencies including obtaining nearly $50 million in NIH support
for product development. Prior to joining Vical, Mr. Samant's career includes
over 20 years of national and international sales, marketing, operations, and
business development experience with Merck, advancing from Executive Director
level in Merck's Manufacturing group through executive appointments in business
development and operations to COO of Merck's Vaccine division. Mr. Samant has
also been: a member of the Board of Trustees for the International Vaccine
Institute (IVI, Seoul, Korea) since 2008; a member of the Board of Trustees for
the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID, Bethesda, MD) since
2003; and a Director of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation from 2001 to
2010.
Timothy P. Walbert currently serves as Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Horizon Pharma, Inc, a privately held biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing and commercializing innovative medicines in arthritis,
pain and inflammatory diseases. Mr. Walbert successfully led the completion of
Horizon Pharma's Phase 3 clinical trials and NDA/MAA submission of its lead
product, DUEXIS, finalized its acquisition of Nitec Pharma and has raised over
$100 million dollars for the company. Prior to Horizon Pharma, Mr. Walbert was
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of IDM Pharma, Inc., a publicly
traded oncology-focused biotechnology company. During his tenure, he drove the
process of achieving European regulatory approval for MEPACT?, an ultra-orphan
product for the treatment of osteosarcoma, and led the successful acquisition
of IDM by Takeda in 2009. A 20-year biopharmaceutical industry veteran, Mr.
Walbert has also held executive positions in corporate strategy, sales, US and
international marketing and commercial operations at NeoPharm, Abbott, G.D.
Searle/Pharmacia, Merck and Wyeth. His responsibilities included the strategic
development of Abbott's $500 million global cardiovascular franchise, and as
Abbott's Vice President and General Manager, Immunology, he created and had
full P&L management of the global immunology franchise leading the global
launch of HUMIRA(r), the multi-indication biologic. Mr. Walbert serves on the
board of directors of XOMA Ltd., the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO),
the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO) and the Greater Chicago
Arthritis Foundation.
About Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.
Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. (Nasdaq:RPTP) ('Raptor') is dedicated to speeding
the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve
existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug
targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Raptor focuses on underserved
patient populations where it can have the greatest potential impact. Raptor
currently has product candidates in clinical development designed to
potentially treat nephropathic cystinosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
('NASH'), Huntington's Disease ('HD'), aldehyde dehydrogenase ('ALDH2')
deficiency, and thrombotic disorder.
Raptor's preclinical programs are based upon bioengineered novel drug
candidates and drug-targeting platforms derived from the human
receptor-associated protein ('RAP') and related proteins that are designed to
target cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and infectious diseases.
For additional information, please visit www.raptorpharma.com.
The Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7180
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate
to future events or our future results of operation or future financial
performance, including, but not limited to the following statements: that
Raptor will move forward to completing its DR Cysteamine Phase 3 clinical trial
and set plans in motion for the potential registration and commercial launch of
DR Cysteamine for nephropathic cystinosis in 2012; that each new board member
will be able to help build Raptor into a successful global commercial company;
that Raptor will benefit from the new board members' expert guidance towards
that goal of global commercialization; and that Raptor will be able to
successfully develop DR Cysteamine or any of its other product candidates.
These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the Company's actual results
to be materially different from these forward-looking statements. Factors which
may significantly change or prevent the Company's forward looking statements
from fruition include: that Raptor may be unsuccessful in developing any
products or acquiring products; that Raptor's technology may not be validated
as it progresses further and its methods may not be accepted by the scientific
community; that Raptor is unable to retain or attract key employees whose
knowledge is essential to the development of its products; that unforeseen
scientific difficulties develop with the Company's process; that Raptor's
patents are not sufficient to protect essential aspects of its technology; that
competitors may invent better technology; that Raptor's products may not work
as well as hoped or worse, that the Company's products may harm recipients; and
that Raptor may not be able to raise sufficient funds for development or
working capital. As well, Raptor's products may never develop into useful
products and even if they do, they may not be approved for sale to the public.
Raptor cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. Certain of these
risks, uncertainties, and other factors are described in greater detail in the
Company's filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the 'SEC'), which Raptor strongly urges you to read and consider, including:
Raptor's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 22, 2010;
and Raptor's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on January 14,
2011; all of which are available free of charge on the SEC's web site at
http://www.sec.gov. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
attributable to Raptor or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in Raptor's
reports filed with the SEC. Raptor expressly disclaims any intent or obligation
to update any forward-looking statements
CONTACT: Trout Group (investors)
Lauren Glaser
(646) 378-2972
lglaser@troutgroup.com
The Ruth Group (media)
Jason Rando
(646) 536-7025
jrando@theruthgroup.com
News Source: NASDAQ OMX
13.04.2011 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP -
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Language: English
Company: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.
United States
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Internet:
ISIN: US75382F1066
WKN:
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Datum: 13.04.2011 - 12:30 Uhr
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News-ID 386734
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