Ann Arbor, MI (Mar. 11)-Pipex Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced that it has implemented cost reduction measures due to the anticipated delay in refiling its New Drug Application for oral tetrathiomolybdate (oral TTM) for the treatment of initially presenting neurologic Wilson's disease. The cost reductions included the elimination of 14 positions, including the position of the chief scientific officer, to which David A. Newsome was appointed in October 2007. Also, the company’s president, Charles L. Bisgaier, agreed to reduce his salary from $295,000 per year to $0.
Salt Lake City, UT (Mar. 17)-Q Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, selected Goodwin Biotechnology (Plantation, FL), a contract manufacturing organization, to manufacture its monoclonal antibody (mAb). Goodwin has begun process development and will be manufacturing the mAb for Q Therapeutics to use with its cell therapy product, “Q-Cells.” Q Therapeutics plans to begin Phase I trials for the treatment of transverse myelitis, a rapidly paralyzing subset of multiple sclerosis, in 2009.
Jerusalem (Mar. 10)-Ivax Pharmaceuticals, part of Israel’s Teva group, will receive and investment of 1 billion Kc ($60.7 million) from Teva in a new facility at Ivax’s Opava-Komarov campus in the Czech Republic. Construction on the new facility will begin this year. When completed, Ivax expects to have tripled its drug-production capacity. The announcement came during a visit by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek to Teva’s Jerusalem facility. Topolánek also met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week, and the prime ministers agreed to establish a joint Czech-Israeli research and development fund focused on biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and anti-terrorism weaponry, according to a report by the Prague Post.
People Notes
Dublin, OH (Mar. 13)-Cardinal Health appointed company veteran Michael C. Kaufmann as group president of its Healthcare Supply Chain Services Pharmaceutical Segment. He replaces Scott A. Storrer, who will leave the company later this month. Kaufmann will continue to report to George S. Barrett, vice-chairman of Cardinal Health and chief executive officer of the company's Healthcare Supply Chain Services sector.
Rockville, MD (Mar. 17)-Cytomedix appointed Martin P. Rosendale executive vice-president and chief operating officer. Rosendale will be responsible for the company's operational aspects including sales and marketing, manufacturing, business development and administrative operations, and will assist and support the research and development activities.
Chadds Ford, PA (Mar. 12)-Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings named David P. Holveck president, chief executive officer and a director of the company, effective April 1, 2008. Mr. Holveck was previously president of Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation and vice-president, Corporate Development of Johnson & Johnson.
New York, NY (Mar. 12)-Immtech Pharmaceuticals’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric L. Sorkin and Vice-Chairman Cecilia Chan have volunteered to take a pay cut during fiscal year 2008. Immtech filed Form 8K with the US Securities and Exchange Commission with updated information on the company's operations. As detailed in the 8K, due to recognition of deferred revenue, the company's stockholders' equity exceeds $6.0 million and the company expects that it will continue to exceed that amount as of March 31, 2008.
Burlingame, CA (Mar. 13)-Juvaris BioTherapeutics named Grant E. Pickering chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors. Pickering replaces Martin D. Cleary, who founded the company in February of 2003. In conjunction with Mr. Pickering's appointment, the corporate headquarters will now be located within the company's recently expanded research, development, and manufacturing facilities in Burlingame, California.
Canton, MA (Mar. 17)-Damien Bates, PhD, joined Organogenesis as vice-president of medical affairs. A board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Bates will lead the company's clinical study department and collaborate with Organogenesis research and development teams to guide new product development from lab science through to approved products.
New York, NY (Mar. 11)-Pfizer’s Senior Vice-President and General Counsel Allen Waxman is leaving the company for personal reasons. Waxman will remain outside counsel to Pfizer through a transition period. David Reid, Pfizer’s current senior vice-president and managing director, will assume Waxman’s responsibilities temporarily while the company conducts a search for a permanent successor.
