ALAMEDA, Calif., Feb. 6, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Avigen, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVGN), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neurological conditions, today announced that Stephen Dilly M.B.B.S., Ph.D. and Jan K. Ohrstrom, M.D. have been elected to the company's board of directors.
Stephen Dilly is chief executive officer at APT Pharmaceuticals of Foster City, California. Prior to joining APT, Dr. Dilly held a number of senior executive clinical, development and commercial support positions at leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including SmithKlineBeecham, Genentech, Inc. and Chiron Corporation.
Jan K. Ohrstrom is senior vice president, Business Development at ZymoGenetics, Inc. of Seattle, Washington. Dr. Ohrstrom was in clinical training as a neurosurgeon before joining the pharmaceutical industry at Novo Nordisk. Since then, Dr. Ohrstrom has served in a number of senior clinical and business positions at Novo Nordisk and ZymoGenetics.
"We are very pleased to add the extensive clinical and commercial expertise that Stephen and Jan bring to the Avigen Board of Directors," said Kenneth Chahine, Ph.D., J.D., Avigen President and CEO. "With the substantial increase in clinical development activities in 2007, Stephen and Jan's proven experience in drug development will serve as a tremendous asset to Avigen's therapeutic pipeline."
About Avigen
Avigen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on unique small molecule therapeutics and biologics to treat serious neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain and neuromuscular spasm and spasticity. Avigen's strategy is to complete the requirements of clinical development for each of the candidates in its product pipeline, and continue to look for opportunities to expand its pipeline through a combination of internal research, acquisitions, and in-licensing, with the goal of becoming a fully integrated commercial biopharmaceutical company committed to its small molecule and biologics neurology products. The company currently has in development AV650 for neuromuscular spasm and spasticity and two candidates for neuropathic pain, AV411 and AV333. Additionally, the company has in development a compound for the treatment of hemophilia A and B, AV513. For more information about Avigen, consult the company's website at http://www.avigen.com.
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