WARRINGTON, Pa., Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery
Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSCO), a specialty biotechnology
company dedicated to advancing a new standard in respiratory
critical care, today announced organizational changes to the
development leadership team and a special advisory appointment to
augment the company's expertise in neonatology and aerosolized drug
delivery.
Steven G. Simonson, M.D., has
been appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer,
with responsibility for research, clinical development, aerosol
device development, regulatory affairs, and patient safety /
pharmacovigilance. Dr. Simonson joined Discovery Labs in
May 2014 as Vice President, Clinical
Development, and brings to Discovery Labs over 25 years of medical
practice and pharmaceutical industry clinical trial experience with
a significant focus in pulmonary critical care and developing
respiratory drugs. Dr. Simonson spent 18 years in the life science
industry with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Agennix Inc., and
Covance in senior medical and clinical leadership roles. He
received his medical degree from the Medical
College of Wisconsin, and his Masters of Health Sciences
degree from the Duke University School
of Medicine. At the Duke University
Medical Center, he completed a residency and fellowship and held
faculty appointments in the division of Pulmonary and Critical Care
Medicine.
The company also announced the appointment of Jan Mazela, M.D., Ph.D. as Special Medical and
Scientific Advisor – Neonatology. Dr. Mazela is a pediatrician and
neonatologist, a global key opinion leader in neonatology, and an
expert in the application of aerosolization technology to neonatal
medicine. He currently serves as Medical Director in the Department
of Neonatology and Infectious Diseases at Poznan University of
Medical Sciences in Poznan, Poland. Dr. Mazela received his medical degree
from the University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, Poland, and completed his fellowship in
Neonatology at the University of Illinois at
Chicago. He received his Ph.D. in epidemiology in an
initiative called the NeoCare Project focused on monitoring quality
of neonatal care for the World Health Organization. Dr. Mazela has
participated as an investigator in a number of clinical studies of
new drugs for use in preterm infants (including SURFAXIN®
(lucinactant) Intratracheal Suspension). He is the author or
co-author of numerous peer reviewed publications and routinely a
key speaker at scientific symposia and conferences.
"I believe that we have an outstanding medical team with the
depth of expertise and experience required to advance SURFAXIN and
our AEROSURF® development program, and to further the development
of our pipeline of KL4 surfactant-based products for respiratory
critical care," commented John
Cooper, Discovery Labs' President and Chief Executive
Officer. "Dr. Simonson's medical expertise in pulmonary critical
care and clinical experience in developing respiratory drugs are
essential skills for Discovery Labs. Further, we are excited to
leverage Dr. Mazela's passion for technical innovation in
addressing the needs of neonates, including his significant
experience with SURFAXIN and expertise in the field of aerosolized
surfactant delivery for newborns."
As part of the organizational changes, Russell G. Clayton, D.O., Discovery Labs' Senior
Vice President, Research and Development will be leaving the
company by mutual agreement in December
2014 to pursue other interests. He will serve in an advisory
role to the company through the planned AEROSURF phase 2
program.
Mr. Cooper continued, "On behalf of the company, I would like to
thank Dr. Clayton for his many years of commitment and invaluable
contributions to our company, including his leadership in gaining
FDA approval of SURFAXIN and advancing the AEROSURF development
program. Rusty has played an integral part in our evolution and I
am pleased he will remain an advisor to support important
development matters going forward."
ABOUT DISCOVERY LABS
Discovery Laboratories, Inc. is a
specialty biotechnology company focused on advancing a new standard
in respiratory critical care. Discovery Labs' technology
platform includes its novel proprietary KL4 surfactant, a
synthetic, peptide-containing surfactant that is structurally
similar to pulmonary surfactant, and its proprietary drug delivery
technologies being developed to enable efficient delivery of
aerosolized KL4 surfactant. Discovery Labs' strategy is
initially focused on neonatology and improving the management of
respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature infants.
Discovery Labs believes that its RDS product portfolio, including
AEROSURF®, if approved, has the potential to become the new
standard of care for RDS and, over time, enable the treatment of a
significantly greater number of premature infants who could benefit
from surfactant therapy but are currently not treated.
SURFAXIN® (lucinactant) Intratracheal Suspension, Discovery Labs'
first KL4 surfactant-based product, is the only available synthetic
alternative to animal-derived surfactants approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA). Full prescribing information
can be found at http:///www.surfaxin.com.
For more information, please visit the company's website at
www.Discoverylabs.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
To the extent
that statements in this press release are not strictly historical,
they are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements often include words such as
"will," "intends," "plans," "believes" and words and terms of
similar substance. These forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the statements made. Examples of
such risks and uncertainties, including those affecting Discovery
Labs' ability successfully to complete its development programs and
realize the potential benefits of its RDS product portfolio, are
described in Discovery Labs' filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the most recent reports on Forms
10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and any amendments thereto. Any
forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the
date on which it is made. Discovery Labs assumes no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements.
SOURCE Discovery Laboratories, Inc.