CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:MNTA), a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex drugs, today announced the appointment of Elizabeth Stoner, M.D. to its Board of Directors effective October 25, 2007. Dr. Stoner is an industry veteran with broad expertise in clinical research and pharmaceutical product development.
"It is a pleasure to welcome Dr. Stoner to our Board of Directors," said Craig Wheeler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Momenta. "Elizabeth's extensive background in clinical development and experience in bringing pharmaceutical products to market will be a significant asset to Momenta as we advance our pipeline. We look forward to her contribution as our programs progress through clinical development towards commercialization."
Dr. Stoner recently joined MPM Capital as an Executive Partner following a 22-year career at Merck Research Laboratories. At the time of her retirement from Merck, Dr. Stoner was Senior Vice President of Global Clinical Development Operations with responsibility for the company's clinical development activities in more than 40 countries. She also oversaw the clinical development activities of Merck's Japanese partner, Banyu, led the clinical development for the Merck/Schering-Plough Joint Venture for Zetia/Vytorin, and played a critical leadership role in Merck's efforts to transform its worldwide clinical development operations. Earlier in her career at Merck, Dr. Stoner had led the Proscar clinical development program from inception, establishing Merck as a leader in the field of prostate disease. As Endocrine Therapeutic Head, Dr. Stoner's responsibilities included all steroid and lipid metabolism, as well as the growth hormone secretagogue clinical research programs.
Prior to her position at Merck, she was an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Stoner received a BS in Chemistry from Ottawa University, KS, an MS in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and an MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
"Momenta is recognized in the industry for its unique analytical platform," commented Dr. Stoner. "I believe the Company's innovative approach to pharmaceutical development has great potential and I look forward to contributing to Momenta's success as a member of the Board."
About Momenta
Momenta is a biotechnology company specializing in the detailed structural analysis of complex mixture drugs. Momenta is applying its technology to the development of generic versions of complex drug products as well as to the discovery and development of novel drugs. The Company's most advanced product candidate, M-Enoxaparin, is designed to be a technology-enabled generic version of Lovenox(r). Momenta's first novel drug candidate is M118, a rationally engineered anticoagulant specifically designed for acute coronary syndromes. Within the Company's discovery program, it is seeking to discover and develop novel therapeutics by applying its technology to better understand sugars' functions in biological processes, with an initial focus in oncology. Momenta was founded in 2001 based on technology initially developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.
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