WINNERSH, United Kingdom, Jan. 16, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Vernalis plc (Nasdaq:VNLS) (LSE:VER) today announces the appointment of Dr. Jean Hubble as Vice President, Medical Affairs. Jean will lead the Medical Affairs function in the United States which promotes Apokyn(r) and co-promotes Frova(r) alongside its licensing partner, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr. Hubble brings a wealth of clinical experience to Vernalis as a movement disorder expert. She has authored or co-authored over 50 scientific publications, numerous book chapters and abstracts, and regularly lectures in the area of movement disorders, with particular focus on Parkinson's disease. Most recently, Dr. Hubble was Global Medical Strategy Leader (Executive Director) in CNS at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Group Strategic Marketing, where she had responsibility for oversight of Phase IV clinical studies, participation with expert advisory boards, and input to the strategic focus for CNS products to ensure support for medical marketing strategy. Prior to her role at Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Hubble was a Senior Clinical Consultant at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, focused on neuroscience, in the areas of CNS Drug medical communications and publications development, as well as competitive intelligence. Dr. Hubble received her medical degree from the University of Kansas and is Board certified in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology.
Ms. Sylvia McBrinn, Senior Vice President for U.S. Operations at Vernalis commented, "We are delighted to have attracted a person of Jean's calibre to our organization. Jean has a tremendous passion for her work in the area of movement disorders, and will clearly be an asset to Vernalis as we continue to work closely with key opinion leaders and patient groups to understand how Apokyn(r) can play a role in the treatment of Parkinson's disease."
Notes to Editors
About Vernalis
Vernalis is a speciality bio-pharmaceutical company focused on products marketed to specialist neurologists. The company has two marketed products, Frova(r) and Apokyn(r), and a development pipeline focused on neurology and central nervous system disorders. The company has eight products in clinical development and collaborations with leading, global pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, Biogen Idec and Serono. Vernalis has established a US commercial operation to promote Apokyn(r) and co-promote Frova(r) alongside its North American licensing partner, Endo Pharmaceuticals, progressing the company towards its goal of becoming a sustainable, self-funding, R&D-driven, speciality bio-pharmaceutical company. For further information about Vernalis, please visit: www.vernalis.com
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Product Indication Phase Phase Phase Regist- Market Marketing
I II III ration Rights
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Apokyn(r) Parkinson's x North
Disease America
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Frova(r) Migraine x US mile-
stones &
royalties
- Endo
(EU -
royalties)
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Frova(r) Menstrual US mile-
Migraine stones &
Prevention x royalties
- Endo
(EU -
royalties)
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V1512 Parkinson's World
Disease x Wide
(excl.
Italy)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
V10153 Ischaemic World
stroke x Wide
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V1003 Acute Pain x US
Profit
share
Option
Reckitt
Benckiser
---------------------------------------------------------------------
V3381 Neuropathic World
Pain x Wide
---------------------------------------------------------------------
V2006 Parkinson's US Co-
Disease x promotion
Biogen
Idec
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MMPI Multiple None -
Sclerosis x royalty
(Serono)
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V24343 Obesity x World
Wide
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Vernalis Forward-Looking Statement
This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events including the clinical development and regulatory clearance of the Company's products, the Company's ability to find partners for the development and commercialisation of its products, as well as the Company's future capital raising activities. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the ability of the Company to identify and agree beneficial terms with suitable partners for the commercialisation and/or development of its products, as well as the achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, the acceptance of Frova(r) and Apokyn(r) and other products by consumers and medical professionals, the successful integration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify and consummate suitable strategic and business combination transactions.