LITTLE ROCK, Ark., July 1, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Cytomedix, Inc. (OTCBB:CYME) today announced the appointment of I. Kelman Cohen, M.D., Lawrence A. Lavery, D.P.M., and Linda G. Phillips, M.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board.
As previously announced, the Scientific Advisory Board was established in December 2003 with Dr. Charles R. Baxer, a world-renowned expert in the field of chronic wounds and burns, serving as its chief medical advisor.
"The appointment of these three outstanding professionals to our Scientific Advisory Board underscores the company's commitment to excellence, as well as the strong interest in our innovative therapy for the treatment of a variety of chronic wounds by thought leaders in the healthcare profession. We are gratified by the willingness of Drs. Cohen, Lavery and Phillips to serve in this capacity and look forward to benefiting from their expertise and guidance," said Dr. Kshitij Mohan, chief executive officer of Cytomedix.
Dr. Cohen is currently emeritus professor of surgery at the Health Science Division of Virginia Commonwealth University. From 1975 to 2001 he served as professor of surgery and chairman of the plastic and reconstructive surgery division. Other career academic appointments include the University of North Carolina, John Hopkins Hospital, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Cohen is a member of more than 20 scientific, honorary and professional societies, including the American Burn Association, American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, The Society of Head and Neck Surgeons and founding member of the Wound Healing Society. His background includes serving as principal investigator for numerous research studies related to treatments for burns and chronic wounds. He has published extensively in a variety of medical and scientific journals, in addition to numerous guest lectures and fellowships across the country and around the world. Dr. Cohen earned a Medical Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Dr. Lawrence A. Lavery currently serves as associate professor in the department of surgery at the College of Medicine of Texas A & M Health Science Center, as well as staff podiatrist at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administrative Hospital in Maywood, Illinois. Other career academic appointments include Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois, various other positions at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, three separate terms of service over a several year period at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Administrative Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, and the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons, San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Lavery has published extensively on the study and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, with numerous honors and awards related to this medical specialty. His career experience includes more than 20 past or present positions with a variety of professional health organizations, including serving as a reviewer for Veterans Administration grants for the agency's New York/New Jersey Healthcare System and the editorial advisory board for Advances in Skin & Wound Care. He currently serves as chairman of the Foot Care Council of the American Diabetes Association. Dr. Lavery earned a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from the Dr. William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Texas.
Dr. Phillips currently serves as chief of the department of plastic surgery and senior associate dean for academic affairs for the School of Medicine at the University of Texas in Galveston, following several other academic positions at the medical school since 1991. She also presently serves on the consulting medical staff/active scientific staff at the Shriners Burns Institute in Galveston, Texas. Her earlier experience includes positions at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, director of the Burn Center, Detroit Receiving Hospital, and several attending staff positions. Dr. Phillips also served as an instructor in the department of surgery at Northwestern University. She has received grant support for over 60 medical studies related to chronic wounds. Dr. Phillips' professional career includes serving on over one hundred committees for a variety of medical associations, including the American Association for Hand Surgery, the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation, the American College of Surgeons and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She is a member of over thirty scientific societies and a member of numerous editorial/review boards of medical journals. Dr. Phillips has published extensively in a variety of medical and scientific journals, in addition to presenting at hundreds of symposiums and conference throughout the United States and overseas. She earned a Medical Doctor degree from the University of Chicago.
About Cytomedix
Cytomedix, Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in processes and products derived from autologous platelet releasates. The current product offering is Autologel(tm), an autologous platelet gel composed of multiple growth factors and fibrin matrix, which is used to treat chronic wounds and supported by an extensive base of patents. The Company is working with healthcare providers to offer an advanced therapy at the point-of-care in multiple settings. It has commenced a prospective, randomized, and controlled, FDA-approved clinical trial to seek a specific clinical indication for Autologel(tm) for the treatment of non-healing diabetic foot ulcers. Additional information is available at: http://www.cytomedix.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release not relating to historical facts are forward-looking statements that are intended to fall with the safe harbor rule for such statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The information contained in the forward-looking statements is inherently uncertain, and Cytomedix's actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, many of which are beyond Cytomedix's ability to predict or control, including among others, governmental regulation, acceptance by the medical community and competition. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ from the forward-looking statements. More information about some of these risks and uncertainties may be found in the reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Cytomedix, Inc.