SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Scios Inc. (Nasdaq: SCIO) today announced the promotions of three directors to
vice president positions.
Randall St. Laurent, previously area business director of the Scios sales
force, is promoted to vice president of sales. He will report directly to
Richard B. Brewer, Scios' president and chief executive officer. Mr. St.
Laurent has played a pivotal role in the successful launch of the company's
flagship product, Natrecor(R) (nesiritide), by helping to establish an
industry-leading sales force in acute congestive heart failure that is rapidly
penetrating its target markets.
Thomas L. Feldman, vice president of sales and marketing, is leaving the
company to pursue other opportunities and will continue in a consulting role
until the end of this year. George Mahaffey will continue in his current role
as director of marketing leading those activities as he has since the Natrecor
launch.
Laura Simon, M.D., previously senior director of corporate planning and
development, is promoted to vice president of corporate planning and
development and continues to report directly to Mr. Brewer. Dr. Simon plays a
central role in Scios' partnering strategies and activities and led the team
that negotiated the licensing agreement with GlaxoSmithKline for Natrecor in
Europe.
In addition, Sundeep Dugar, Ph.D. previously director of chemistry, is
promoted to vice president of chemistry reporting to George Schreiner, M.D.,
Ph.D., vice president and chief scientific officer of Scios. Dr. Dugar is an
award-winning, internationally-recognized leader in his field, who has
contributed to the remarkable productivity and continued quality of the
company's research efforts, most notably its p38 kinase inhibitor and TGF-beta
programs.
"My objective with these promotions is to continue to build a management
team at Scios with the skills and experience needed to fully capitalize on the
market potential of Natrecor, as well as the promise and large potential value
of our research pipeline," said Mr. Brewer.
Biographical Information
Mr. St. Laurent joined Scios in March 2001 from Transkaryotic Therapies,
where he was executive director of field operations from 1999 though 2001.
Previously, he worked at Genentech Inc., where he held several sales
positions, including regional and division manager, and was instrumental in
launching four approved products, including Activase(R) (alteplase,
recombinant) for the treatment of heart attacks. During his 12 years at
Genentech, he won numerous top sales awards, and eventually managed 26 sales
representatives and four area sales managers. He graduated magna cum laude
with a bachelor of science degree in business administration at Ohio State
University.
Dr. Simon joined Scios in November 2000 from Harvard's Brigham & Women's
Hospital in Boston where she was a resident in Diagnostic Radiology. Prior to
joining Harvard, Dr. Simon interned in Transitional Medicine at Presbyterian
St. Luke's Hospital in Denver. She also was active in scientific research,
most notably working with Nobel laureate Thomas R. Cech, PhD., Department of
Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder on the investigation of the
telomerase enzyme. Previously, Dr. Simon worked for more than six years in
corporate business, working for Andersen Consulting as a management
information consultant and for IBM in the personal computer marketing
division. Dr. Simon earned her M.D. from the University of Colorado School of
Medicine and her bachelor of arts degree in economics from Mills College.
Dr. Dugar joined Scios in 1999 from Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical
Research Institute to oversee Scios' medicinal chemistry efforts and
computational chemistry group. Under his leadership, Scios has produced two
clinical drug candidates, SCIO-469 and SCIO-323, which are potent and
selective inhibitors of p38-alpha MAP kinase and also one of the first
inhibitors of the TGF-beta receptor kinase. With more than 15 years of
pharmaceutical industry experience, Dr. Dugar is the recipient of numerous
awards of excellence and most recently received the 2002 Thomas Alva Edison
Patent Award for his role as co-inventor of a cholesterol absorption inhibitor
developed during his tenure at Schering Plough Research Institute. Dr. Dugar
earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis, where he was
awarded the Distinguished Scholars Fellowship in 1983.
Scios Inc.
Scios is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for
cardiovascular and inflammatory disease. The Company's disease-based
technology platform integrates expertise in protein biology with computational
and medicinal chemistry to identify novel targets and rationally design small
molecule compounds for large markets with unmet medical needs.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. We generally identify such forward-looking statements
using words like "estimate," "believe," "intend," "expect," "may," "should,"
"plan," "project," "contemplate," "anticipate" or similar statements.
Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based
on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and
uncertainties may include the sales penetration and success of Natrecor, the
success of clinical trials of Natrecor and our pipeline products, including
SCIO-469 and inhibitors to TGF-beta, our ability to partner the development
and commercialization of our pipeline products and Natrecor (outside the U.S.
and Europe) with third parties on favorable terms, or at all, as well as other
risks detailed from time to time in the reports filed by Scios with the SEC,
including the Company's quarterly reports and annual report on Form 10-K.
Actual results, performance or achievements of Scios may differ significantly
from those described in these forward-looking statements. Scios disclaims any
intention or obligation to update or revise any financial projections or
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
SOURCE Scios Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.sciosinc.com
CONTACT:
media and investors, Suzanne Beveridge of
Scios Inc., +1-408-616-2947; or media, Jim Weiss of WeissCom
Partners, Inc., +1-415-260-1274; or investors, Fern Lazar or Sara
Moorin of Lazar Partners Ltd., +1-212-867-1762, all for Scios
Inc.
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