WATERTOWN, Mass., April 24 /PRNewswire/ --
V. I. Technologies, Inc. (VITEX) (Nasdaq: VITX) announced today that effective
May 8, David C. Dlesk will be joining the Company as Executive Vice President
and Chief Business Officer for INACTINE(TM). In this newly created position,
Mr. Dlesk will be responsible for the business development activities and
commercialization of the Company's INACTINE(TM) technology platform,
particularly with regard to red cell viral inactivation. He will also have
primary responsibility for the Company's related collaborations with Pall
Corporation (NYSE: PLL) and Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE). Mr. Dlesk
will report to John Barr, President and CEO of VITEX.
Mr. Dlesk, age 41, was formerly Vice President of Operations at
Biogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGEN), a biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge,
MA. There, he played a key role in setting up manufacturing of AVONEX(R), one
of the most successful biotechnology drugs ever launched. He successfully
started up a $60 million manufacturing plant in 33 months from groundbreaking
to FDA licensure and played a key role in the launch of Biogen's first product
in Europe using European contract manufacturers. Mr. Dlesk was also a
significant contributor to the corporate strategy of the firm as a member of
Biogen's Operating Team.
Prior to 1996, Mr. Dlesk was Chief Executive Officer of Medical Media
Systems, a development-stage computer-aided surgery company based in West
Lebanon, N.H. As part of a start-up business, Mr. Dlesk dealt first hand with
the challenges of developing a business plan, raising financing, hiring
personnel and managing the product development process.
Mr. Dlesk began his career at Baxter Healthcare Corporation, the principal
U.S. operating subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. From 1981 to 1993, Mr.
Dlesk held various positions in corporate manufacturing, corporate marketing
and sales and development. Most recently he was Director of Business
Development, Venture Technology where he defined the strategy for early stage
biotech businesses and was responsible for developing the manufacturing
processes and establishing the initial production operations. He was also
General Manager of Bentley Laboratories BV, where he had full P&L
responsibility and provided leadership in manufacturing, quality,
distribution, finance and customer service activities for the Uden, Holland
operation.
Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Barr said, "We are extremely excited
and pleased to have a person of David's caliber join the VITEX team. His
solid background in business development, manufacturing, and marketing will be
particularly useful as we develop the INACTINE(TM) technology into a
commercial business. Our ability to attract an executive such as David
reflects positively on the Company's opportunities, and particularly on the
potential for the viral inactivation of red cells using the INACTINE(TM)
technology."
Mr. Barr added, "Our INACTINE(TM) red cell technology is rapidly moving
through the clinical trial process and we expect to seek approval from the FDA
to enter a pivotal trial by the end of 2000. With David's leadership, we will
be focused on commercial scale-up in preparation for the completion of the
regulatory process."
VITEX is a leading developer and manufacturer of a broad portfolio of
blood products that utilize its patented viral inactivation technologies
designed to ensure product safety. The technologies are tailored for all
blood component applications and other blood-derived products, including
plasma, plasma derivatives, red blood cells and platelets. The first of
VITEX's virally inactivated products, PLAS+(R)SD, is the only FDA-approved
method for viral inactivation of plasma.
For further information, please visit the VITEX web site at
http://www.vitechnologies.com .
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters
discussed are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements involve risks and uncertainties, such as quarterly fluctuations in
operating results, the timely availability of new products, market acceptance
of the company's products, the impacts of competitive products and pricing,
government regulation of the company's products and other risks and
uncertainties set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results
to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made herein.
To receive additional information on V. I. Technologies, Inc., via fax, at no
charge, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter code VITX.
SOURCE V. I. Technologies, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.vitechnologies.com
CONTACT:
John Barr, President and CEO of V. I.
Technologies, 617-726-1551, ext. 7256; or Alison Ziegler, or
Brian Gill, or Deanne Eagle, all of The Financial Relations
Board, 212-661-8030
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