News from Novocure, YM BioSciences, and SGVI – People on the move
Former OSI Pharmaceuticals VP Gabriel Leung has joined Novocure’s board of directors.
Leung will serve as vice chairman of the board of directors and chairman of the company's global commercialization team.
"The addition of Gabe Leung to our board of directors and executive management team marks Novocure's transition from a development stage enterprise to a commercial oncology company," said William F. Doyle, Novocure's executive chairman.
YM BioSciences has nominated Catherine Mackey and Nicole Onetto to its board of directors.
Mackey, the former senior VP of worldwide R&D for Pfizer, is also the the founder of management consulting company MindPiece Partners, created in 2010.
Onetto is deputy director of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).
David Allan, chairman of YM BioSciences., said of their appointment: "As we prepare to advance CYT387 into registration trials, their expertise will be valuable in helping YM attain its strategic and scientific objectives."
Synthetic Genomics Vaccines (SGVI) has appointed Sammy Farah as president.
Prior to SGVI, Farah was chief business officer at Immune Design Corp where he helped the company complete a Series B funding round and execute a strategic partnership with MedImmune.
Of his new role, Farah said: "SGVI has access to the most advanced sequencing and synthetic genomic technologies in the world, making it uniquely positioned among the landscape of vaccine companies.
"I look forward to applying our resources to develop the next generation of vaccines that will have the greatest positive impact on human health."
Alan Liddle has announced that he will retire from his role as CEO of Immune System Therapeutics Limited (IST).
Liddle, who co-founded the monoclonal antibody company in 2001, will remain as a member of the board as a non-executive director.
Calum McKinlay has been appointed in his stead. Trained as a hospital clinician and immunologist in before his 20 year career in finance, McKinlay has held senior executive positions for HSBC Investment Bank (Asia), Macquarie Bank and ABN AMRO Investment Bank.
Of the changes, Liddle said: “IST is now well positioned to capitalise on the positive results and the investments we have been making in recent years and I believe that Calum is the right person to lead the organisation and its outstanding people through this next phase of growth.”
Medical device firm Colibri Heart Valve company has named Joseph Horn president and CEO.
Prior to Colibri, he was president of Global Therapeutics; a company he founded in 1990.
Horn said he saw great potential in the company – who developed the world’s only dry, pre-mounted and pre-packaged low profile, 14 French, transcatheter aortic heart valve – and believes the TAVI device will revolutionise the market.
He added: “We are finalizing plans for our first-in-human study in patients with a symptomatic stenotic aortic valve who are candidates for TAVI, which we expect to complete in identified centers in Western Europe early next year.”
Julie Tracy has become senior VP and chief communications officer for Wright Medical Group.
Before joining Wright – a medical device company providing solutions in the foot and ankle surgery market – Tracy was chief communications officer for Epocrates.
Robert Palmisano, president and CEO of Wright said: "Julie will be instrumental in building upon the strong relationships we currently have with the investor and analyst communities, and we are delighted to welcome her to the team."
