Pharming Appoints Dr. Perry Calias as Chief Scientific Officer
LEIDEN, The Netherlands, February 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Pharming Group NV (EURONEXT: PHARM) today announces the appointment of Dr. Perry Calias as the Company's Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), with immediate effect.
Dr. Calias will have overall responsibility for the Company's new Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) programs, achieving the scientific milestones set in the business plan, enhancing the IP portfolio, overseeing new product development and contributing to the overall strategic direction of the Company.
Through the recent acquisition of TRM SASU, Pharming is expanding its validated platform for the production of recombinant human proteins. In order to take advantage of the available ERT development networks and expertise, Pharming also plans to open a small R&D office in Boston, MA. Dr. Calias will be based in Boston and will split his time between there, Paris and Leiden.
Dr. Calias is a specialist in developing targeted therapies. As Senior Director for Shire within the Human Genetic Therapeutics division, he has championed the investigational effort for the intrathecal administration of recombinant enzymes for the treatment of the central nervous system (CNS) disorders associated with lysosomal storage diseases. In this capacity, he has led the research effort with regards to regulatory filings both within the US and abroad, resulting in three clinical trials and several peer-reviewed articles. In addition, Dr. Calias has held various R&D positions at BBB Technologies, EyeGate Pharmaceuticals, Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Draper Laboratories and Genzyme Corporation. Dr. Calias is listed as an inventor on over 30 domestic and foreign patents/applications spanning 18 different patent families, including mRNA therapeutics, new polyethylene glycol-linker chemistries, noninvasive ocular delivery devices, nucleic acid protecting strategies, and combination anti-angiogenic therapies. He holds a PhD in Bio-organic Chemistry.
About Pharming Group NV
Pharming Group NV is developing innovative products for the treatment of unmet medical needs. Ruconest® (conestat alfa) is a recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor approved for the treatment of angioedema attacks in patients with HAE in the USA, Israel, all 27 EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ruconest is commercialized by Pharming in Austria, Germany and Netherlands. Ruconest is distributed by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (SS: SOBI) in the other EU countries and in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Norway, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. Ruconest is partnered with Salix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SLXP) in North America.
Ruconest is also being investigated in a randomized Phase II clinical trial for prophylaxis of HAE and evaluated for various additional follow-on indications.
Pharming has a unique GMP compliant, validated platform for the production of recombinant human proteins that has proven capable of producing industrial volumes of high quality recombinant human protein in a more economical way compared to current cell based technologies. Leads for enzyme replacement therapy in Pompe's, Fabry's and Gaucher's diseases are under early evaluation. The platform is partnered with Shanghai Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry (SIPI), a Sinopharm Company, for joint global development of new products. Pre- clinical development and manufacturing will take place at SIPI and are funded by SIPI. Pharming and SIPI initially plan to utilize this platform for the development of rh-FVIII for the treatment of Haemophilia-A.
Additional information is available on the Pharming website; http://www.pharming.com.
Pharming Disclosure Notice
This press release contains forward looking statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward looking statements.
Contacts:
Pharming Group NV
Sijmen de Vries
Chief Executive Officer
+31-71-5247400
Julia Phillips/ Victoria Foster Mitchell
FTI Consulting
+44-203-727-1136
PRN NLD
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