RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Paradigm
Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDGM), a biotechnology company, today announced the
appointment of Douglas R. Morton, Ph.D., former Vice President, Pfizer Inc.,
and current CEO of the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, to its Board of
Directors. Dr. Morton joins Paradigm Genetics' Board as part of the company's
recently completed acquisition of TissueInformatics.Inc.
"With Doug, we gain exceptional perspective and leadership from a seasoned
pharmaceutical executive with a highly productive and diverse career," said
Heinrich Gugger, Ph.D., President and CEO of Paradigm Genetics. "His
appointment reflects the rapid evolution of our human health business and the
Board's commitment to its success. Doug not only understands the practical
challenges of finding new drugs, he also brings an important perspective on
the role of new technologies in the drug discovery process. His guidance and
contribution come at a very opportune time for Paradigm Genetics, as we focus
on using our systems biology platform to identify biomarkers and novel drug
targets for liver toxicity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and
obesity."
Dr. Morton has spent his entire career in the pharmaceutical industry,
joining the Upjohn Company as a research scientist in 1973. He remained with
the surviving entity through Upjohn's merger with Pharmacia AB, the
consolidation of Pharmacia & Upjohn with Monsanto, and, recently, Pharmacia's
merger with Pfizer serving in a series of increasingly significant discovery
research management positions. At the time of the Pfizer merger, Dr. Morton
was Group Vice President, Technology Acquisitions & Operations for Discovery
Research. In this position, he was responsible for technology acquisition and
operations for worldwide Discovery Research throughout Pharmacia Corporation.
Since retiring from Pfizer Inc. in 2003, Dr. Morton has served as CEO of the
Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, an incubator that provides wet-lab
space, access to venture funding and business services to emerging companies
in biosciences and high technology. Dr. Morton has served on the Board of
TissueInformatics.Inc. from May 2003 until the closing of Paradigm Genetics'
acquisition of the company. He graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College
with an A.B. in Chemistry. Dr. Morton was awarded a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
by Columbia University and completed postdoctoral studies in that field at
Stanford University before joining Upjohn. He is a published scientist and
prolific inventor who has authored or co-authored 45 peer-reviewed scientific
publications and holds 43 U.S. patents.
About Paradigm Genetics
Paradigm Genetics is a biotechnology company applying a unique systems
biology approach to life sciences discovery. Paradigm Genetics is focused on
the discovery and validation of genes, targets and biomarkers for product
development in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, with an
internal focus on metabolic disorders, pathway engineering and chemical
genetics. Paradigm Genetics also provides value-added services in gene
expression microarray processing (Paradigm Array Labs(TM)), gene-based
discovery (GeneFunctionFactory(R)), high throughput screening assay
development and TissueInformatics(TM) automated pathology software. Paradigm
Genetics has major customers including the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, Bayer CropScience, the Monsanto Company, Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, the National Institute of Standards & Technology's Advanced
Technology Program, and L'Oreal Inc. For more information,
visit http://www.ParadigmGenetics.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including
statements regarding the Company's expectations for using its systems biology
platform to identify biomarkers and novel drug targets for liver toxicity and
metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. Such forward-looking
statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a
number of risks, factors and uncertainties that may cause actual results,
events and performance to differ materially from those referred to in the
forward-looking statements. These risks, factors and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to, Paradigm's early stage of development, history of net
losses, technological and product development uncertainties, reliance on
research collaborations, uncertainty of additional funding and ability to
protect its patents and proprietary rights. Certain of these and other risks
are identified in Paradigm's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2002 and in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended September 30, 2003, each filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking
statements after the date of this release to conform these statements to
actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as may be required by
law.
SOURCE Paradigm Genetics, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.paradigmgenetics.com
CONTACT:
Melissa Matson, Director, Corporate
Communications of Paradigm Genetics, Inc., +1-919-425-3000; or
Brian Ritchie or Mark Vincent of Noonan Russo Presence Euro RSCG,
+1-212-845-4200
|
