MARTINSRIED/MUNICH, Germany, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
WALTHAM, Mass. and PRINCETON, N.J. -- GPC Biotech AG (Frankfurt Stock
Exchange: GPC; TecDAX index; Nasdaq: GPCB) today announced that it has
created three new senior positions, hiring three executives to expand its
drug development and commercialization management teams:
-- Martine George, M.D., Senior Vice President, Clinical Development;
-- Ramona Lloyd, Ph.D., Vice President, Worldwide Regulatory Affairs &
Quality Compliance; and
-- Margaret Ference, Vice President, U.S. Sales.
These appointments reflect the Company's expanding efforts in
late-stage drug development activities and increasing focus on
commercialization. All three individuals are based at the Company's
Princeton, New Jersey site.
Bernd R. Seizinger, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are
excited and proud that GPC Biotech continues to attract highly accomplished
and renowned senior executives. The three appointments announced today are
all critical additions to our organization, and all will play key roles as
we continue to advance our clinical development programs -- especially
satraplatin -- through the regulatory process and eventually onto the
market."
Dr. Seizinger continued, "With Dr. Martine George, we now have, along
with Dr. Marcel Rozencweig, two very prominent experts in oncology drug
development on the GPC Biotech team. Dr. George will work closely with Dr.
Rozencweig to strategically drive forward our oncology development
efforts."
Dr. George said: "I am excited to join the team at GPC Biotech and to
have the opportunity to play a key role in moving such important oncology
development programs like satraplatin forward. I believe the GPC Biotech
programs hold the potential to help cancer patients and address important
unmet medical needs."
Martine George, M.D. is a well-known oncology expert with over fifteen
years of experience at major pharmaceutical companies, as well as several
years as a practicing medical oncologist. Prior to joining GPC Biotech, Dr.
George was Senior Vice President, Head of Oncology at Johnson & Johnson
Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Before that she held a number of
executive positions in the areas of clinical and medical affairs, including
at Johnson & Johnson, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (now part of Sanofi-Aventis),
Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation (now Novartis) and American Cyanamid.
Dr. Ramona Lloyd has fourteen years of pharmaceutical regulatory
experience and has held senior regulatory positions at major pharmaceutical
companies. She joined GPC Biotech from Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she was
Vice President, Global Regulatory Operations. At GPC Biotech she will have
worldwide responsibility for Regulatory Affairs and Quality Compliance.
Margaret Ference has twenty-five years of pharmaceutical sales
experience, including senior positions at several biotechnology companies.
She joined GPC Biotech from the U.S. biotechnology firm Pharmacyclics,
where she was Vice President of Sales and responsible for building a new
sales force to launch an oncology drug. Ms. Ference will play a critical
role as GPC Biotech moves forward with its plans for commercializing
satraplatin in the U.S.
GPC Biotech AG is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and
developing new anticancer drugs. The Company's lead product candidate --
satraplatin -- has achieved target enrollment in a Phase 3 registrational
trial as a second-line chemotherapy treatment in hormone-refractory
prostate cancer. The U.S. FDA has granted fast track designation to
satraplatin for this indication, and GPC Biotech has begun the rolling NDA
submission process for this compound. GPC Biotech is also developing a
monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism-of-action against a variety of
lymphoid tumors, currently in Phase 1 clinical development, and has ongoing
drug development and discovery programs that leverage its expertise in
kinase inhibitors. GPC Biotech AG is headquartered in Martinsried/Munich
(Germany). The Company's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary has sites in Waltham,
Massachusetts and Princeton, New Jersey. For additional information, please
visit the Company's Web site at http://www.gpc-biotech.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements may be, but are not necessarily, identified by
words like "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "target", "goal",
"estimate", "plan", "assume", "may", "will", "could" and similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements about the progress, timing and completion of research,
development, pre-clinical studies and clinical trials for the Company's
product candidates; the timing and ultimate success in obtaining regulatory
approval in the U.S., Europe or any other jurisdiction for satraplatin or
any other product candidates; the Company's ability to market,
commercialize, achieve market acceptance for and sell the Company's product
candidates; the Company's ability to adequately protect its intellectual
property and operate its business without infringing upon the intellectual
property rights of others; and the Company's estimates regarding
anticipated operating losses, future revenues, capital requirements and
needs for additional financing. Forward-looking statements in this press
release are based on the Company's current expectations and projections
about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the
forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur. We
direct you to the Company's Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2005 and other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) for additional details on the important factors that may
affect the Company's future results, performance and achievements. Except
as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to
publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised,
however, to consult any additional disclosure the Company makes on its
current reports on Form 6-K to the SEC.
For further information, please contact:
GPC Biotech AG
Fraunhoferstr. 20
82152 Martinsried/Munich, Germany
Martin Braendle
Associate Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 (0)89 8565-2693
ir@gpc-biotech.com
In the U.S.:
Laurie Doyle
Associate Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +1 781 890 9007 X267
usinvestors@gpc-biotech.com
Additional Media Contacts:
In the U.S.:
Noonan Russo
Matt Haines
Phone: +1 212 845 4235
matthew.haines@eurorscg.com
In Europe:
Maitland Noonan Russo
Brian Hudspith
Phone: +44 (0)20 7379 5151
bhudspith@maitland.co.uk
SOURCE GPC Biotech AG
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.gpc-biotech.com/
CONTACT:
Martin Braendle, Associate Director, Investor
Relations & Corporate Communications, +49 (0)89 8565-2693,
ir@gpc-biotech.com, or Laurie Doyle, Associate Director, Investor
Relations & Corporate Communications, +1-781-890-9007 ext. 267,
usinvestors@gpc-biotech.com, both of GPC Biotech AG; or In the
U.S.: Matt Haines of Noonan Russo, +1-212-845-4235,
matthew.haines@eurorscg.com; or In Europe: Brian Hudspith of
Maitland Noonan Russo, +44 (0)20 7379 5151,
bhudspith@maitland.co.uk
|
