Spinifex Appoints Declan Doogan as Non-Executive Chairman

MELBOURNE, Australia, December 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, an Australian pain drug development company, today announces the appointment of Dr Declan Doogan as Non-Executive Chairman. Dr Doogan brings to Spinifex more than 30 years' experience of the global pharmaceuticals industry including more than 20 years with Pfizer.

Dr Doogan is currently Chief Medical Officer of Amarin Corporation and served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 2009 to 2010. Prior to joining Amarin in 2007 as Head of R&D, Dr Doogan was Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Development at Pfizer Global Research & Development having held a number of senior positions in Pfizer in the US, the UK and Japan. Dr Doogan joined Pfizer in 1982, where he led the Zoloft^® (sertraline HCl) clinical development program. He subsequently held a variety of senior positions within Pfizer and ultimately became head of the company's development organization. Dr Doogan holds a number of non-executive directorships including Board Member of Sosei Corporation (Japan). Dr Doogan received his medical degree from Glasgow University in 1975. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine in the UK.

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals CEO Tom McCarthy said: "Declan will add to the Spinifex Board not only his exceptional depth of experience in drug discovery and development within major pharmaceutical companies but also genuine entrepreneurial skills. This combination can only aid the Company as we advance the clinical development of EMA401 for neuropathic pain and look towards commercialisation."

Dr Doogan Non-Executive Chairman of Spinifex said: "Neuropathic pain is debilitating and is currently poorly treated. In EMA401 Spinifex has a highly promising candidate with an entirely novel mode of action for the treatment of a number of neuropathic pain conditions. I look forward to working with Tom and the rest of the management team and Board to deliver on the undoubted potential of EMA401 both as a new treatment option for patients and commercially."

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals is an Australian biotechnology company developing new drug candidates for the treatment and management of pain.

Established in 2005 and based in Melbourne, Spinifex has applied its world-class drug development capabilities to advance product candidates. Its lead product EMA401 is under development as a potential first-in-class oral treatment for neuropathic pain and related symptoms without CNS side effects. Spinifex's Phase 2 program for EMA401 will include clinical trials in a number of neuropathic pain conditions. Spinifex investors are GBS Venture Partners, Brandon Capital Partners, Uniseed and UniQuest.

http://www.spinifexpharma.com.au

For more information please contact:

Company
Dr Tom McCarthy
CEO Spinifex Pharmaceuticals
Tel:  +61(0)3-9938-1205
Email:
tom.mccarthy@spinifexpharma.com.au

Media
Chris Gardner/Nina Enegren
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel:  +44(0)20-7638-9571
Email:
nina.enegren@citigatedr.co.uk