News from Novasep, BioTime and Syndax – People on the move
Syndax Pharmaceuticals has appointed Arlene Morris as CEO.
Formerly CEO of Affymax, Morris has also been president of strategic biotech advisor Clearview Projects, as well as senior VP of business development at immunotherapy specialist Coulter.
She takes the helm at Syndax, an oncology start-up, as it moves into Phase III trials for its epigenetics metastatic breast cancer therapy.
Dennis Podlesak, chairman of the board, said: "With the positive phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled data and the addition of Arlene Morris to our impressive leadership team, Syndax is well positioned to successfully complete the final phase of clinical development to achieve our goal of providing a new treatment option for women with metastatic breast cancer."
Purification and production solutions firm Novasep has hired Jean-Claude Romain as quality director and Alain Lamproye as director of its Belgium arm.
Romain takes on his new role after first joining the firm’s biomolecules division Novasep Process, on the quality and industrial production management team. In his new role he will establish a quality management function which the company hopes will boost its global compliance.
Lamproye will take on the firm’s two Belgian sites, specialising in custom biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Antoine Baule, president of Novasep Process, said: "In a fast-growing biopharmaceutical market, custom biopharmaceutical manufacturing is a strategic activity for Novasep, which we will actively continue to develop."
BioTime has formed a new science and technology committee to oversee the development and commercialization of its regenerative medicine and oncology tech.
The three-member committee is made up of newly appointed director and former US FDA commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, Optimer Pharmaceuticals CEO Pedro Lichtinger, and Neal Bradsher who is president of Broadwood Capital.
“The committee looks forward to working with the management of BioTime and its subsidiaries in advancing breakthrough products into clinical trials, including those anticipated to begin this year for the use of HyStem-Rx as an implantable matrix for cell delivery in cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries,” said von Eschenbach.
Alfred Kingsley, BioTime chairman, added: “This is an exciting time for the emerging field of regenerative medicine.”
Ark has named David Venables has its new executive director of manufacturing services.
He was drafted in to build manufacturing solutions business, which the company says is now “core” in its future development.
Prior to Ark, Venables worked for Intercell where, as chief operating officer, he developed the firm’s manufacturing capabilities in Europe and the USA.
“We are committed to building an international manufacturing services business and David's appointment to Ark's Board emphasises the importance we place upon this role and he is uniquely qualified to lead this initiative,” said executive chairman, Iain Ross.
EnVivo Pharmaceuticals has selected Christopher Burnley as its new chief business officer.
Prior to joining the central nervous system (CNS) therapies specialist, Burnley founded and was CEO of VetRx – a biotech start-up developing human biologics for use in companion animals.
In his new role, he will be responsible for corporate strategy and business development plans.
Kees Been, president and CEO, said: “This is a pivotal time for EnVivo as we continue to advance our pipeline and our lead program.
“Chris' track record of leveraging clinical programs to forge productive and collaborative corporate partnerships will be invaluable as we analyse the strategic options.”
Barbara Cannon has joined the scientific and medical advisory board for Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC).
Currently a professor of physiology at Stockholm University's Wenner-Gren Institute for Experimental Biology, Cannon is also president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
In her new role she will work on the company’s insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes programs.
Stephen Benoit, MSDC's CEO, said of her appointment: “Her ground-breaking insights into brown fat metabolism will contribute significantly to the explanation of the mechanisms by which our novel insulin sensitizers improve insulin sensitivity in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes."
