PharmaCyte Biotech Appoints Former Pfizer and Alchemia Executive to Board of Directors
April 14 2015 - 9:30AM
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB:PMCB), a clinical stage
biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for
cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation
technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, announced today that Thomas Liquard has
joined its Board of Directors and will become Chairman of the Audit
Committee. Mr. Liquard is a seasoned pharmaceutical industry
executive whose past experiences include serving as Chief Executive
of Alchemia Limited and as Senior Director, Portfolio Development
Leader, Emerging Markets for the Established Products portfolio for
Pfizer in New York.
"On behalf of our management team and Board of Directors, it is
a pleasure to welcome Thomas to PharmaCyte Biotech. His specific
healthcare sector expertise across product and business
development, commercialization and managerial leadership will be an
invaluable asset to our team as the PharmaCyte Biotech enters its
next phase of growth," commented Kenneth L. Waggoner, Chief
Executive Officer of PharmaCyte Biotech.
Mr. Liquard stated, "I firmly believe that PharmaCyte Biotech's
future is bright, both in the areas of oncology and diabetes. Its
use of the platform live-cell encapsulation technology, known as
Cell-in-a-Box®, gives PharmaCyte Biotech opportunities to develop
unique treatments for serious and deadly forms of cancer as well as
for insulin-dependent diabetes. This is an exciting time for
PharmaCyte Biotech and I am thrilled to join the company, as it
pursues programs that have the potential to change how patients
with these diseases are treated."
Mr. Liquard has more than a decade of experience in the
pharmaceutical industry, having held various commercialization,
product development and leadership roles with big pharma and
biotech companies. Most recently, Mr. Liquard was CEO of
Alchemia Limited, a major Australian biotech company (ASX:ACL) with
an FDA approved sterile injectable and a late stage oncology
platform.
Prior to joining Alchemia, Mr. Liquard spent seven years with
Pfizer in New York where he held various commercial roles of
increasing scope and responsibility, including most recently as
Senior Director, Portfolio Development Leader, Emerging Markets for
the Established Products portfolio. Mr. Liquard also spent three
years as a key member of the company's EP US Brands P&L
Leadership Team. In this role, he engineered the group's 505(b)(2)
investment strategy, culminating in the $700M acquisition of
NextWave Pharmaceuticals. He also led the NextWave pre- and
post- acquisition integration efforts. In addition, Mr.
Liquard worked as a Director within the New Product Planning
and Portfolio & Decision Analysis groups at Pfizer. There he
was responsible for formulating investment decisions on business
development opportunities and internal development programs across
multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, central nervous
system and metabolic diseases.
Mr. Liquard holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a
Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern
California.
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company
focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for
cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live
cell encapsulation technology known as Cell-in-a-Box®. This unique
and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which
treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced,
inoperable pancreatic cancer, and diabetes are being built.
PharmaCyte Biotech's treatment for pancreatic cancer involves low
doses of the well-known anticancer prodrug ifosfamide, together
with encapsulated live cells, which convert ifosfamide into its
active or "cancer-killing" form. These capsules are placed as close
to the cancerous tumor as possible to enable the delivery of the
highest levels of the cancer-killing drug at the source of the
cancer. This "targeted chemotherapy" has proven remarkably
effective and safe in past clinical trials. PharmaCyte Biotech is
also working towards improving the quality of life for patients
with advanced pancreatic cancer and on treatments for other types
of solid cancerous tumors.
In addition, PharmaCyte Biotech is developing treatments for
cancer based upon chemical constituents of the Cannabis plant,
known as cannabinoids. In doing so, PharmaCyte Biotech is examining
ways to exploit the benefits of Cell-in-a-Box® technology in
optimizing the anticancer effectiveness of cannabinoids, while
minimizing or outright eliminating the debilitating side effects
usually associated with cancer treatments. This provides PharmaCyte
Biotech the rare opportunity to develop "green" approaches to
fighting deadly diseases, such as cancer of the pancreas, brain and
breast, which affect hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide
every year.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate,"
"believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan" and similar
expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte Biotech or its
management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of
PharmaCyte Biotech, could cause actual results to differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. They
include PharmaCyte's ability to continue as a going concern, delays
or unsuccessful results in preclinical and clinical trials, flaws
or defects regarding its product candidates, changes in relevant
legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection
of PharmaCyte Biotech's intellectual property and PharmaCyte
Biotech's continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte Biotech
does not assume any obligation to update any of these
forward-looking statements.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at
www.PharmaCyteBiotech.com. It can also be obtained by contacting
Investor Relations.
CONTACT: Investor Relations Contacts:
Jamien Jones
Blueprint Life Science Group
Telephone: 415.375.3340 Ext. 103
jjones@bplifescience.com