PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardiokine, Inc., a privately
held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of drugs
for the treatment of heart failure and related indications, today announced
that Dr. Manuel Worcel has been appointed President and Chief Executive
Officer. He also will serve as a Director of the company.
"Dr. Worcel brings an impressive history of industry experience and
accomplishment to Cardiokine, and we are fortunate to have recruited him as
the company's chief executive," said James H. Cavanaugh, Ph.D., Chairman of
Cardiokine's Board of Directors. "Dr. Worcel's cardiovascular expertise
should be invaluable in helping to maximize the potential for success of
the Phase III clinical program for lixivaptan, Cardiokine's lead compound
being developed in partnership with Biogen Idec."
Dr. Worcel joins Cardiokine from NitroMed, which he founded in 1993 and
where he served in the roles of Chief Executive Officer, President and
Chief Medical Officer. Previously, he was Head of Cardiovascular Research
and Development at Ciba Geigy (now Novartis) and Head of Research and
Development at Roussel Hoechst (now Sanofi Aventis).
Dr. Worcel commented, "Cardiokine's lead drug candidate lixivaptan has
a unique mechanism of action with the potential to address a serious unmet
medical need affecting millions of patients worldwide, and I am delighted
to join the company at this exciting time as we advance our Phase III
clinical program with our partner Biogen Idec. "
Prior to joining industry, Dr. Worcel was a professor at the Institut
de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale in France. A Fellow of the
Hypertension Council of the American Heart Association, Dr. Worcel received
an M.D. degree from the University of Buenos Aires.
About Cardiokine
Cardiokine, headquartered in Philadelphia, is a privately held
specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of
pharmaceuticals for the treatment and prevention of heart failure and
related cardiovascular and metabolic indications. Its lead compound
lixivaptan, an oral, selective V2 vasopressin receptor antagonist in Phase
III clinical trials, causes water to be excreted from the kidney with
minimal impact on sodium or other electrolytes. Based on this unique
mechanism of action, lixivaptan has shown promise in the treatment of
disease states associated with water retention and electrolyte imbalance,
such as congestive heart failure. Additional information about Cardiokine
is available at http://www.cardiokine.com.
Contacts:
Corporate: Media:
Federica O'Brien, Chief Financial Officer Barbara Lindheim
Cardiokine, Inc. GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners
(215) 399-1200 (212) 918-4650
SOURCE Cardiokine, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.cardiokine.com
CONTACT:
Corporate, Federica O'Brien, Chief Financial
Officer of Cardiokine, Inc., +1-215-399-1200; or Barbara Lindheim
of GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners, +1-212-918-4650
|
