DGAP-News: Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. /
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Announces the Appointment of Abraham Ceesay
as Vice President of Marketing
18.02.2014 / 14:30
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Proven Global Renal Marketing Expert Joins Commercial Team
NEW YORK, 2014-02-18 14:30 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:KERX), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical
products for the treatment of renal disease, today announced the appointment of
Abraham Ceesay as Vice President of Marketing and Operations. In this role, Mr.
Ceesay will develop and lead all aspects of the Zerenex(TM) launch strategy and
execution, including brand planning, forecasting and analysis, marketing
operations and patient access programs. The Company's new drug application for
Zerenex (ferric citrate coordination complex) is currently under review by the
FDA with an assigned Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of June
7, 2014.
Greg Madison, the Company's Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer,
commented, 'Mr. Ceesay brings an exceptional track record for successful
marketing and product launches of innovative products, including significant
renal experience. While at Genzyme, I saw first hand Abe's competencies in the
development of launch initiatives, brand creation strategies and marketing
efforts to maximize the commercial potential for renal drugs. We look forward
to leveraging Abe's capabilities for the potential launch and marketing of
Zerenex.'
Mr. Ceesay brings to Keryx extensive experience in the launch and growth of
innovative therapeutic products and a strong track record in the leadership of
global commercial teams. Prior to joining Keryx, Mr. Ceesay served as Vice
President, Marketing at Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:IRWD), where he held
responsibility for the management of the U.S. linaclotide P&L, leadership of
the Linzess(r) brand team and co-promotion collaboration with Forest
Laboratories. In his role, Mr. Ceesay developed and led all facets of the
Linzess(r) launch strategy and also led the cross functional U.S. Operating Team
responsible for the commercial and development decisions to support the
commercialization of Linzess(r). Previous to his career with Ironwood, Mr.
Ceesay
spent eight years at Genzyme/Sanofi, initially as a field sales specialist and
ultimately as the Director, Renal Global Marketing, in which capacity he held
marketing responsibility for the company's renal franchise (Renagel(r),
Renvela(r),
Hectorol(r)). Over the course of his career at Genzyme, Mr. Ceesay developed and
implemented brand strategies for the global renal franchise, including all
marketing facets of the Renvela(r) launch strategy. Mr. Ceesay holds a bachelors
degree from Ithaca College, and a Masters of Business Administration from
Suffolk University's Sawyer School of Management.
About Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is focused on the acquisition, development and
commercialization of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of renal
disease. Keryx is developing Zerenex(TM) (ferric citrate coordination complex),
an oral, ferric iron-based compound. Zerenex has completed a U.S.-based Phase 3
clinical program for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia (elevated phosphate
levels) in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, conducted pursuant
to a Special Protocol Assessment ('SPA') agreement with the FDA. Keryx's New
Drug Application ('NDA'), submitted to the FDA in 2013, is currently under
review and has an assigned Prescription Drug User Fee Act ('PDUFA') goal date
of June 7, 2014. Zerenex has also completed a Phase 2 study in the U.S. for the
management of elevated serum phosphorus levels and iron deficiency anemia in
patients with Stage 3 to 5 non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease. In
addition, Keryx's Japanese partner, Japan Tobacco, Inc. and Torii
Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., received marketing approval of ferric citrate in
Japan for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney
disease on January 17, 2014. Keryx is headquartered in New York City.
Cautionary Statement
Some of the statements included in this press release, particularly those
relating to the results of clinical trials, the clinical benefits to be derived
from Zerenex, regulatory submissions and approvals, the commercial opportunity
and competitive positioning, and any business prospects for Zerenex, may be
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Among the factors that could cause our actual results to
differ materially are the following: acceptance of the NDA filing represents
only a preliminary evaluation of the application and is not indicative of
deficiencies that may be identified during the FDA's review; a PDUFA goal date
is subject to change and does not guarantee that the review of the NDA will be
completed on a timely basis; the risk that the FDA, and/or EMA ultimately deny
approval of the U.S. NDA, and/or MAA, respectively; the risk that SPAs are not
a guarantee that the FDA will ultimately approve a product candidate following
filing acceptance; whether the FDA and EMA will concur with our interpretation
of our Phase 3 study results, supportive data, or the conduct of the studies;
whether Riona(r) will be successfully launched and marketed by our Japanese
partner, Japan Tobacco, Inc. and Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; whether,
Zerenex, if approved by the FDA and/or EMA, will be successfully launched and
marketed; and other risk factors identified from time to time in our reports
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking
statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this
press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof.
This press release and prior releases are available at http://www.keryx.com.
The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this
press release and is included for reference purposes only.
KERYX CONTACT:
Lauren Fischer
Director - Investor Relations
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Tel: 212.531.5965
E-mail: lfischer@keryx.com
News Source: NASDAQ OMX
End of Corporate News
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Language: English
Company: Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
United States
ISIN: US4925151015
End of News DGAP News-Service
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253103 18.02.2014
DGAP-News: Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Announces the Appointment of Abraham Ceesay as Vice President of Marketing
| Source: EQS Group AG