Gina Consylman Joining Board of Directors
Hagop Youssoufian, MSc, MD Transitioning to
Head of Medical Strategy
Kirk Taylor, MD, Appointed Senior Vice
President, Medical Affairs Strategy and Operations
Verastem, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSTM) (Verastem Oncology or the
Company), focused on developing and commercializing medicines to
improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients, today
announced the appointment of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s Chief
Financial Officer Gina Consylman to its Board of Directors. Ms.
Consylman, who will also serve as the Chair of the Board’s Audit
Committee, replaces Louise Phanstiel who is leaving the Board to
pursue other professional opportunities.
In addition, Hagop Youssoufian, MSc, MD is transitioning to
serve as Verastem Oncology’s Head of Medical Strategy from his
prior role as Head of Hematology and Oncology Development. Dr.
Youssoufian will be taking over responsibilities from Diep Le, MD,
PhD who is stepping down as Chief Medical Officer. Kirk Taylor, MD
has also joined the Company as Senior Vice President, Medical
Affairs Strategy and Operations.
“We are delighted to have Gina and Kirk join the Verastem
Oncology team as we enter this new period of growth with our first
commercial product launch,” said Robert Forrester, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Verastem Oncology. “Gina brings a unique
financial acumen to the Board of Directors with more than 25 years
of experience in the fields of corporate finance, accounting and
tax management for commercial-stage pharmaceutical companies,
including organizations navigating through first commercial product
launches. Kirk is an accomplished medical affairs executive and
prior practicing clinician with vast experience leading global
cross-functional teams and successfully bringing drug candidates
and products to market. On behalf of the entire Board and
management team, we sincerely welcome Gina and Kirk and look
forward to their insights and contributions.”
Mr. Forrester added, “Over the past several years, Hagop has
played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Verastem
Oncology and I have no doubt he will continue delivering successful
results with distinction. The Board and I wish to express our
gratitude to Louise and Diep for their outstanding contributions
and service. They have each played important roles in building the
Company into what we believe will be a successful commercial
organization. We wish both Louise and Diep all the very best in
their future endeavors.”
“Verastem Oncology is entering an exciting new chapter and I am
honored to join the Board of Directors to help the Company execute
on its strategic and commercial corporate goals,” said Ms.
Consylman. “I believe the Company is well-positioned for the next
stage of evolution with a robust commercialization plan to help
address the significant unmet need for the patients and families
suffering from hematological malignancies.”
Ms. Consylman currently serves as Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
commercial biotech company, where she oversees the finance,
planning, accounting, tax, treasury and insurance functions. Prior
to joining Ironwood, Gina was Vice President, Corporate Controller
and Principal Accounting Officer of Analogic Corporation, a
healthcare and security technology solutions company, where she led
the company's global accounting and treasury teams. Prior to
Analogic, Gina held senior level accounting and corporate
controller positions at Biogen Inc. and Varian Semiconductor
Equipment Associates, Inc. (acquired by Applied Materials, Inc.).
She began her career in public accounting at Ernst & Young LLP.
Ms. Consylman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from
Johnson & Wales University, a Master of Science degree in
taxation from Bentley University, and is a Certified Public
Accountant.
Dr. Taylor brings more than 21 years of pharmaceutical industry
experience and 12 years in clinical practice to Verastem Oncology.
He has led cross-functional teams as Chief Medical Officer and
Senior Vice President, covering many parts of the world including
the United States, Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia.
Dr. Taylor has held executive leadership positions at Pfizer,
Actelion, Biogen, Alzheon, Sanofi Genzyme, Prescient Medicine and
Finch Therapeutics. Dr. Taylor specializes in late phase
development and medical affairs. Dr. Taylor received his B.A. from
Harvard University and his M.D. from SUNY Downstate. He completed
his internship at Roosevelt Hospital Columbia University, his
residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and a Post
Doctorate at The University of California San Francisco, where he
also served as a faculty member.
About Verastem Oncology
Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM) is a commercial
biopharmaceutical company committed to the development and
commercialization of medicines to improve the lives of patients
diagnosed with cancer. We are driven by the strength, tenacity and
courage of those battling cancer – single-minded in our resolve to
deliver new therapies that not only keep cancer at bay, but improve
the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer. Because for us, it’s
personal.
Our first FDA approved product is now available for the
treatment of patients with certain types of indolent non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma (iNHL). Our pipeline comprises product candidates that
seek to treat cancer by modulating the local tumor
microenvironment. For more information, please visit
www.verastem.com.
Forward Looking Statements Notice
This press release includes forward-looking statements about
Verastem Oncology’s strategy, future plans and prospects, including
statements regarding the development and activity of Verastem
Oncology’s lead product COPIKTRA. The words "anticipate,"
"believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan,"
"predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would,"
"could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions are intended
to identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Each
forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in such statement. Applicable risks and
uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding
the commercial success of COPIKTRA in the United States;
uncertainties regarding physician and patient adoption of COPIKTRA,
including those related to the safety and efficacy of COPIKTRA; the
uncertainties inherent in research and development of COPIKTRA,
such as negative or unexpected results of clinical trials; whether
and when any applications for COPIKTRA may be filed with regulatory
authorities in jurisdictions outside of the United States; whether
and when regulatory authorities in any other jurisdictions may
approve any such other applications that may be filed for COPIKTRA,
which will depend on the assessment by such regulatory authorities
of the benefit-risk profile suggested by the totality of the
efficacy and safety information submitted and, if approved, whether
COPIKTRA will be commercially successful in such jurisdictions;
Verastem Oncology’s ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent
and other intellectual property protection for COPIKTRA and its
other product candidates; the scope, timing, and outcome of any
legal proceedings; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding
labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or
commercial potential of COPIKTRA; that regulatory authorities in
the U.S. or other jurisdictions, if approved, could withdraw
approval; whether preclinical testing of Verastem Oncology’s
product candidates and preliminary or interim data from clinical
trials will be predictive of the results or success of ongoing or
later clinical trials; that the timing, scope and rate of
reimbursement for Verastem Oncology’s product candidates is
uncertain; the risk that third party payors (including government
agencies) will not reimburse for COPIKTRA; that there may be
competitive developments affecting its product candidates; that
data may not be available when expected; that enrollment of
clinical trials may take longer than expected; that COPIKTRA or
Verastem Oncology’s other product candidates will cause unexpected
safety events, experience manufacturing or supply interruptions or
failures, or result in unmanageable safety profiles as compared to
their levels of efficacy; that COPIKTRA will be ineffective at
treating patients with lymphoid malignancies; that Verastem
Oncology will be unable to successfully initiate or complete the
clinical development and eventual commercialization of its product
candidates; that the development and commercialization of Verastem
Oncology’s product candidates will take longer or cost more than
planned; that Verastem Oncology may not have sufficient cash to
fund its contemplated operations; that Verastem Oncology or
Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will fail to fully perform under the
duvelisib license agreement; that Verastem Oncology may be unable
to make additional draws under its debt facility or obtain adequate
financing in the future through product licensing, co-promotional
arrangements, public or private equity, debt financing or
otherwise; that Verastem Oncology will not pursue or submit
regulatory filings for its product candidates, including for
duvelisib in patients with CLL/SLL or FL in other jurisdictions;
and that Verastem Oncology’s product candidates will not receive
regulatory approval, become commercially successful products, or
result in new treatment options being offered to patients.
Other risks and uncertainties include those identified under the
heading "Risk Factors" in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2018 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 8, 2018, its
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 as
filed with the SEC on March 13, 2018 and in any subsequent filings
with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this
press release reflect Verastem Oncology’s views as of the date
hereof, and the Company does not assume and specifically disclaims
any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181018005792/en/
Verastem Oncology:Brian Sullivan, +1 781-469-1636Senior
Director, Corporate
Developmentbsullivan@verastem.comorMedia:FleishmanHillardAdam
Silverstein, +1 917-697-9313media@verastem.comorInvestors:Argot
PartnersJoseph Rayne, +1 617-340-6075joseph@argotpartners.com
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