LEUVEN, Belgium, Sept. 1, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TiGenix NV (Euronext Brussels: TIG), an advanced biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising novel therapeutics from its proprietary platform of allogeneic, expanded adipose-derived stem cells, or eASC's, in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, announced today that it has appointed Dr Marie Paule Richard as the Company's Chief Medical Officer, and Dr Mary Carmen Diez as its Vice President Medical Affairs and New Product Commercialisation.
Dr Richard is an immunologist with more than 25 years experience in the global biopharmaceutical industry, including Chief Medical Officer at Aicuris in Germany; Vice President, Clinical Development, Pharmacovigilance and Medical Affairs at Crucell in Switzerland; and Vice President Vaccines Clinical Development at Sanofi Pasteur in France. She has successfully led the development and regulatory approval of several products both in Europe and in the United States. As Chief Medical Officer at TiGenix, Dr Richard will be responsible for the development of Cx611 in both early rheumatoid arthritis and severe sepsis, for the completion of the ongoing European pivotal Phase III trial with Cx601 in complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease, and for the preparation and implementation of the development plan of Cx601 in the United States.
Dr Diez, a medical doctor specialised in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, has more than 20 years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. She joins from Meda Pharma, where she was International Medical Marketing Director for the last nine years. She has been responsible for the preparation and execution of the successful on-time launch of several products at European level. Prior to that, she worked for a number of pharmaceutical companies including Asta Médica, Pfizer and Dupont Pharma. As Vice President, Medical Affairs and New Product Commercialisation, Dr Diez will be responsible for the medical affairs function across all the Company's assets and, more importantly, she will be directly in charge of preparations for the launch of Cx601 in Europe.
"The whole focus of TiGenix is now the successful clinical development, regulatory approval and future commercialisation of the new products in its development pipeline," said Eduardo Bravo, Chief Executive Officer of TiGenix. "It is therefore essential that we build the capability to do that well. We are very fortunate to have two biopharma development, regulatory and commercialisation heavyweights in Marie Paule and Mary Carmen joining the TiGenix management team at this point in time. They bring with them a wealth of experience and ability in areas which will be key for the success of the company in the near future: namely, completing the development of Cx601 in Europe and in the US, gaining regulatory approval and preparing for its launch, and guiding the clinical development of Cx611 in early rheumatoid arthritis and severe sepsis."
For more information
Richard Simpson
Senior Consultant, Comfi sprl
T: +32 494 578 278
richard@comfi.be
About TiGenix
TiGenix NV (Euronext Brussels: TIG) is an advanced biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising novel therapeutics from its proprietary platform of allogeneic, or donor-derived, expanded adipose-derived stem cells, known as eASCs, in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Two products from this technology platform are currently in clinical development. Cx601 is in Phase III for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease patients. Cx611 is in Phase IIb for early rheumatoid arthritis, and in Phase Ib for severe sepsis. TiGenix also developed ChondroCelect, an autologous cell therapy product for cartilage repair of the knee, which was the first Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) to be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). From June 2014, the marketing and distribution rights of ChondroCelect have been exclusively licensed to Sobi for the European Union (except for Finland, where it is distributed by the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service), Norway, Russia, Switzerland and Turkey, and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. TiGenix is headquartered in Leuven (Belgium) and has operations in Madrid (Spain). For more information, please visit www.tigenix.com
Forward-looking information
This document may contain forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of TiGenix and the market in which it operates. Certain of these statements, forecasts and estimates can be recognised by the use of words such as, without limitation, "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will" and "continue" and similar expressions. They include all matters that are not historical facts. Such statements, forecasts and estimates are based on various assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable when made but may or may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict and may depend upon factors that are beyond the Company's control. Therefore, actual results, the financial condition, performance or achievements of TiGenix, or industry results, may turn out to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements, forecasts and estimates. Given these uncertainties, no representations are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates only speak as of the date of the publication of this document. TiGenix disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statement, forecast or estimates to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto, or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement, forecast or estimate is based, except to the extent required by Belgian law.
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