ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESPR), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on discovering and developing HDL-targeted therapies for the treatment
of cardiovascular disease, today announced the hiring of Adeoye Y. Olukotun,
M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.C., as Senior Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory
Affairs. In this new position, Dr. Olukotun will direct all aspects of
clinical development including clinical research and regulatory affairs, as
well as clinical pharmacology for Esperion's product candidates. Dr. Olukotun
will also serve as Esperion's Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Olukotun has advised
Esperion on its clinical and regulatory strategy as a consultant since
February 2002.
Dr. Olukotun joins Esperion with more than twenty-five years of experience
in clinical research and drug development. He has played key roles in the
coordination of numerous major clinical trials of cardiovascular therapeutics
in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, New Zealand and China.
Additionally, he has overseen the submission of more than a dozen new drug
applications and drug and device licensing approvals in the United States and
Europe.
"Dr. Olukotun brings significant and far-reaching clinical expertise to
Esperion and we welcome him to our executive team," stated Roger S. Newton,
Ph.D., President and CEO of Esperion. "As our product candidates advance
through later stages of clinical development, we know that Esperion will
benefit greatly from Dr. Olukotun's global clinical and regulatory experience
and skill set."
Dr. Olukotun founded CR Strategies, L.L.C., a clinical research and
development consulting firm in Princeton, New Jersey, and has served as its
CEO since 2000. From 1996 to 2000, he was Vice President of Medical and
Regulatory Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Mallinckrodt, Inc, a
healthcare organization with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to
joining Mallinckrodt, Dr. Olukotun spent fourteen years at Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company, where he served as Vice President of two divisions focused on
cardiovascular research, and was involved in the clinical development of
several cardiovascular and lipid regulating agents. Dr. Olukotun played a
leading role in the SAVE study involving captopril (Capoten(R)) and the
WOSCOPS, LIPID and CARE studies involving pravastatin (Pravachol(R)).
"I am excited to be part of Esperion, a company that is developing
cutting-edge HDL-targeted therapies," stated Dr. Olukotun. "With Esperion's
product candidates in development, we have an opportunity to expand treatment
options and alter the paradigm of care for the millions of patients affected
by cardiovascular disease."
Esperion Therapeutics
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops pharmaceutical products
for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Esperion intends to
commercialize a novel class of drugs that focuses on a new treatment approach
called "HDL Therapy," which is based on the Company's understanding of high-
density lipoprotein, or HDL, function. HDL is the primary facilitator of the
reverse lipid transport, or RLT, pathway by which excess cholesterol and other
lipids are removed from arteries and other tissues and are transported to the
liver for elimination from the body. Esperion's goal is to develop drugs that
exploit the beneficial functions of HDL within the RLT pathway. Esperion
currently has several product candidates under development for the treatment
of cardiovascular disease. Esperion is listed on the Nasdaq National Market
under the symbol "ESPR." For more information, visit http://www.esperion.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
The information contained in this press release includes "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These forward-looking statements are often identified by words such
as "hope," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "intend,"
"assume," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements speak only as
of the date of this press release, reflect management's current expectations
and involve certain factors, such as risks and uncertainties, which may cause
actual results to be far different from those suggested by the Company's
forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to,
risks associated with: management's ability to successfully execute its
business strategies, including entering into any strategic partnerships or
other transactions; the progress and cost of development of the Company's
product candidates; the extent and timing of market acceptance of new products
developed by the Company or its competitors; dependence on third parties to
conduct clinical trials for the Company's product candidates; the extent and
timing of regulatory approval, as desired or required, for the Company's
product candidates; the Company's dependence on licensing arrangements and
strategic relationships with third parties; clinical trials; manufacturing;
the Company's dependence on patents and proprietary rights; the procurement,
maintenance, enforcement and defense of the Company's patents and proprietary
rights; competitive conditions in the industry; business cycles affecting the
markets in which any of the Company's products may be sold; extraordinary
events and transactions; the timing and extent of the Company's financing
needs and the Company's access to funding, including through the equity
market; economic conditions generally or in various geographic areas. These
factors are discussed in more detail in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not intend to update any
of these factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any
of these forward-looking statements other than as required under the federal
securities laws.
Company Contact: Frank Thomas
Vice President
Finance and Investor Relations
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
+1-734-222-1831
fthomas@esperion.com
Media Contact: Jim Wetmore
Berry & Company Public Relations
+1-212-253-8881
jwetmore@berrypr.com
SOURCE Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.esperion.com
CONTACT:
Company Contact: Frank Thomas, Vice
President, Finance and Investor Relations of Esperion
Therapeutics, Inc., +1-734-222-1831, fthomas@esperion.com ; or
Media Contact: Jim Wetmore of Berry & Company Public Relations,
+1-212-253-8881, jwetmore@berrypr.com
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