MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviron (Nasdaq: AVIR) today
announced the appointments of David M. Wonnacott, Ph.D. as vice president,
regulatory affairs and Charles F. Katzer as vice president, manufacturing.
Dr. Wonnacott will oversee all regulatory activities, including
interaction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Wonnacott will
focus initially on regulatory activities related to FluMist(TM), Aviron's
investigational intranasal influenza vaccine. He will report to Ray Prasad,
vice president, technical affairs.
Dr. Wonnacott spent the past 12 years at Merck & Co., Inc., most recently
as alternate responsible head, vaccines and biologics. For the past five
years, he was responsible for worldwide regulatory chemistry, manufacturing
and control (CMC) submissions and approvals for vaccines. During
Dr. Wonnacott's tenure at Merck, he oversaw the successful registration and
commercialization of numerous vaccines and pharmaceuticals worldwide. Prior
to joining Merck, Dr. Wonnacott held a variety of scientific and management
positions in biotechnology research and bioanalytical chemistry at
Eastman Kodak Company and Eastman Pharmaceuticals/Sterling Drug.
Dr. Wonnacott earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Brigham Young
University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Utah State University.
Mr. Katzer assumes responsibility for all FluMist(TM) manufacturing
operations at Aviron's facilities in Philadelphia, Mountain View and at
Aviron's contract manufacturer, Celltech Medeva, in Speke, England. He will
report to Ed Arcuri, senior vice president, operations.
With more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry,
Mr. Katzer joins Aviron from U.S. Bioscience, Inc., where he spent the past
eight years, most recently as vice president, pharmaceutical operations. In
this role, Mr. Katzer was responsible for directing all manufacturing, quality
assurance/quality control, contract manufacturing, process development,
technology transfer, engineering and supply chain management activities.
Prior to joining U.S. Bioscience, Mr. Katzer spent 13 years at Rhone-Poulenc
Rorer Pharmaceutical Corporation in a series of increasingly responsible
operational positions, including director of operations and worldwide director
of quality assurance. Mr. Katzer earned a bachelor's degree in zoology from
the University of Wisconsin.
"The additions of David and Chuck to our regulatory affairs and
manufacturing groups bring additional depth and operational experience to our
senior management team. Their expertise in these essential areas will serve as
a tremendous asset as we move from our expected submission of a Biologics
License Application during the fourth quarter toward the commercialization of
FluMist(TM)," said C. Boyd Clarke, Aviron president and chief executive
officer.
Aviron is a biopharmaceutical company based in Mountain View, California,
focused on the prevention of disease through innovative vaccine technology.
Actual results may differ materially from forward-looking statements
contained in this release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
include, but are not limited to, failure to validate the manufacturing
processes, facilities or equipment for the company's vaccines, and the
assessment by regulatory agencies that the company's future license
applications for its vaccines are incomplete or inadequate to approve the
products for marketing to one or more target populations. Additional
information concerning factors that could cause such a difference is contained
in Aviron's SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1999.
To receive an index and copies of recent press releases, call Aviron's
News-On-Call toll-free fax service, 800-758-5804, extension 114000.
Additional information about the company can be located at
http://www.aviron.com .
SOURCE Aviron
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Related links:
http://www.aviron.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/114000.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 114000
CONTACT:
investors and media, John Bluth,
650-919-3716, or investors only, Fred Kurland, 650-919-6666, both
of Aviron; or media only, Claudette Hibbert of Fleishman-Hillard,
212-453-2000, for Aviron
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