ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Human Genome
Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) today announced that Maxine Gowen, Ph.D.,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Trevena, Inc., a privately held
drug discovery company, has been appointed to the HGS Board of Directors.
Prior to joining Trevena, Dr. Gowen spent 15 years at GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK), where she held a series of executive management positions in drug
discovery and development, and led the GSK venture capital subsidiary, S.R.
One.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010612/HGSLOGO )
"Maxine Gowen brings significant leadership experience to HGS in drug
discovery, biotechnology venture capital investing, and business
development," said H. Thomas Watkins, President and Chief Executive
Officer, HGS. "She has a distinguished record of accomplishment, and we are
honored to have her join our Board of Directors. We look forward to
benefiting from Maxine's experience and insight in the years ahead."
Trevena, which Dr. Gowen currently heads, is based in Berwyn,
Pennsylvania, and is focused on the discovery and development of novel
agents that target G-protein coupled receptors, a family of cell surface
receptors with many functions, including immune responses and the
regulation of cellular growth and reproduction. Prior to joining Trevena,
Dr. Gowen was Senior Vice President of GSK's Center of Excellence for
External Drug Discovery. In that position, Dr. Gowen built and led a new
R&D division with a mission to create a drug discovery portfolio through
business development alliances with innovative healthcare companies. She
joined GSK in 1992 to lead the Musculoskeletal Diseases Division, where she
initiated and led a number of preclinical and clinical development
programs. Before GSK, Dr. Gowen was Senior Lecturer and Head, Bone Cell
Biology Group, Department of Bone and Joint Medicine, University of Bath,
U.K. Dr. Gowen has been honored with a number of research awards and
prizes, has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed publications, reviews and
book chapters, and holds five patents. She received her Ph.D. from the
University of Sheffield, U.K., an M.B.A. with academic honors from The
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.Sc. with Honors
in Biochemistry from the University of Bristol, U.K.
About Human Genome Sciences
The mission of HGS is to apply great science and great medicine to
bring innovative drugs to patients with unmet medical needs.
The HGS clinical development pipeline includes novel drugs to treat
hepatitis C, lupus, anthrax disease, cancer and other immune-mediated
diseases. The Company's primary focus is rapid progress toward the
commercialization of its two key lead drugs, Albuferon for hepatitis C and
LymphoStat-B (belimumab) for lupus. Phase 3 clinical trials of both drugs
are ongoing.
ABthrax (raxibacumab) is in late-stage development for the treatment of
anthrax disease, and the Company is on track to begin the delivery in fall
2008 of 20,000 doses of ABthrax to the Strategic National Stockpile under a
contract entered into with the U.S. Government in June 2006. Other HGS
drugs in clinical development include two TRAIL receptor antibodies for the
treatment of cancer. AEG40826, a small-molecule antagonist of IAP
(inhibitor of apoptosis) proteins, is expected to enter Phase 1 clinical
trials for the treatment of cancer in early 2008. In addition, HGS has
substantial financial rights to certain products in the GlaxoSmithKline
clinical development pipeline.
For more information about HGS, please visit the Company's web site at
http://www.hgsi.com. Health professionals or patients interested in clinical
trials of HGS products may inquire via the "Contact Us" section of the
Company's web site, http://www.hgsi.com/products/request.html, or by calling (301)
610-5790, extension 3550.
HGS, Human Genome Sciences, ABthrax, Albuferon and LymphoStat-B are
trademarks of Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The
forward-looking statements are based on Human Genome Sciences' current
intent, belief and expectations. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that
are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from these
forward-looking statements because of the Company's unproven business
model, its dependence on new technologies, the uncertainty and timing of
clinical trials, the Company's ability to develop and commercialize
products, its dependence on collaborators for services and revenue, its
substantial indebtedness and lease obligations, its changing requirements
and costs associated with facilities, intense competition, the uncertainty
of patent and intellectual property protection, the Company's dependence on
key management and key suppliers, the uncertainty of regulation of
products, the impact of future alliances or transactions and other risks
described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. In addition, the Company will continue to face risks related to
animal and human testing, to the manufacture of ABthrax and to FDA
concurrence that ABthrax meets the requirements of the ABthrax contract. If
the Company is unable to meet the product requirements associated with the
ABthrax contract, the U.S. government will not be required to reimburse the
Company for the costs incurred or to purchase any ABthrax doses. Existing
and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today's date.
Human Genome Sciences undertakes no obligation to update or revise the
information contained in this announcement whether as a result of new
information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
SOURCE Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.hgsi.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010612/HGSLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/121115.html /
CONTACT:
Jerry Parrott, Vice President, Corporate
Communications, +1-301-315-2777, or Kate de Santis, Director,
Investor Relations, +1-301-251-6003, both of Human Genome
Sciences, Inc.
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