Dr. Gerald Yakatan, Former President and CEO of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Joins Cobalis Corp. Board of Directors
February 01 2006 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cobalis Corp.
(OTC:CLSC) (BULLETIN BOARD: CLSC) , a pharmaceutical development
company specializing in anti-allergy medications, announced today
that Gerald J. Yakatan, Ph.D., former President and CEO of Avanir
Pharmaceuticals, has joined the Board of Directors of the Company.
Dr. Yakatan's appointment is an important step in Cobalis' goal of
expanding its Board by adding independent directors possessing
substantial relevant industry experience. Dr. Yakatan's extensive
experience in pharmaceutical product development and licensing,
including the OTC market will be important to the Company as it
moves forward to commercialize PreHistin(TM) as a novel treatment
for seasonal and perennial allergies in the US and internationally.
PreHistin(TM) is currently in US FDA Phase III Clinical Trials to
gain approval for the OTC allergy indication. Chas Radovich,
Cobalis Corp. CEO said: "It is an honor for this Company to add
such a distinguished and highly regarded professional to our Board
of Directors. This appointment further strengthens our Board, and
we are confident that the experience Dr. Yakatan brings to the
Company adds an important dimension to our team. Dr. Yakatan will
play a key role in more quickly bringing PreHistin(TM) to patients
in the US and worldwide. Dr. Yakatan's prior research on the
immuno-modulating protein IgE will provide Cobalis with an
extraordinary knowledge base to expand our development of
anti-allergy medications." Said Dr. Yakatan: "I am very pleased to
join the Board of Directors of Cobalis Corp., and plan on taking an
active role in helping guide the Company to the successful
completion of its Phase III Clinical Trials for PreHistin(TM) --
the Company's unique anti-allergy medication. I believe
PreHistin(TM) has the potential to have a major impact on the
treatment of allergies and look forward to the opportunity to
utilize my experience in developing pharmaceutical products to help
bring PreHistin(TM) to the marketplace successfully." Dr. Yakatan
served from 1998 through 2005 as President and Chief Executive
Officer for Avanir Pharmaceuticals of San Diego, CA (AMEX:AVN-R).
Dr. Yakatan successfully directed the company's development and
marketing of novel therapeutic products for the treatment of
chronic diseases, including the NDA submission of Neurodex(TM) and
the clinical program and regulatory strategy that led to the FDA
approval of Abreva(R), the largest-selling OTC treatment for cold
sores. Dr. Yakatan led the licensing effort for Abreva(R) that
resulted in a partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, as well as
partnerships with Novartis and AstraZeneca. In addition, Dr.
Yakatan has extensive experience with compounds that inhibit the
production of IgE (Immunoglobulin epsilon) antibodies, a key
component in the cascade of events that result in the onset of
allergy symptoms. Prior to his tenure at Avanir, Dr. Yakatan
founded IriSys Inc. a San Diego pharmaceutical product development
contract organization in 1996; he served as President and CEO of
Tanabe Research Laboratories, the US subsidiary of Tanabe Seiyaku,
a leading Japanese research and drug discovery company, and also as
EVP, Research and Development for Immunetech Pharmaceuticals. Dr.
Yakatan was also Vice President of Product Development Worldwide
for the Pharmaceutical Research Division of Warner-Lambert, where
he was responsible for the development of dosage forms, analytical
methodology, novel drug delivery systems and clinical
manufacturing. Dr. Yakatan holds a Masters of Science degree in
Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Temple University and a Ph.D. in
Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Florida,
Gainesville. He is a Registered Pharmacist, holds numerous honors,
awards and professional fellowships in the pharmaceutical industry
and continues to serve on the Boards of several not-for-profit
organizations. ABOUT COBALIS CORP. - PREHISTIN(TM) Headquartered in
Irvine, California, Cobalis Corp. is a specialty pharmaceutical
company specializing in the development of OTC anti-allergy
medications. Its flagship product, PreHistin(TM), is currently in
Phase III clinical trials and initial marketing in the U.S. will
commence upon final FDA marketing approval. The U.S. anti-allergy
medication market was $7.2 billion in 2003 and is expected to
exceed $10 billion by 2010. PreHistin(TM), The World's First
Pre-Histamine(TM), is currently in Phase III Clinical Trials in
preparation for submission to the FDA to gain OTC approval for the
allergy indication. For further information please visit the
website at http://www.cobalis.com/ CONTACT: Chas Radovich Ernest
Armstrong Chief Executive Officer Chief Scientific Officer Cobalis
Corp. Cobalis Corp. Tel: (949) 757-0001 Tel: (949) 757-0001 SAFE
HARBOR Certain statements contained in this release are considered
"forward- looking" statements (as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because these statements include
risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from
those expressed or implied. Investors should not rely on these
forward-looking statements as assurances of future events, because
such statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties
and other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the Company's expectations. Factors could include,
but are not limited to: risks associated with preclinical and
clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general
and in the Company's compounds under development in particular; the
potential failure of the Company's compounds under development to
prove safe and effective for treatment and prevention of disease;
failure to successfully implement or complete clinical trials;
failure to receive marketing clearance from regulatory agencies;
acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, licenses or strategic
initiatives that change the Company's business, structure or
projections; the development of competing products; uncertainties
related to the Company's business, structure or projections;
uncertainties related to the Company's dependence on third parties
and partners; and those risks described in filings with the SEC.
FCMN Contact: mmarion@cobalis.com DATASOURCE: Cobalis Corp.
CONTACT: Chas Radovich, Chief Executive Officer, , or Ernest
Armstrong, Chief Scientific Officer, , both of Cobalis Corp.,
+1-949-757-0001 Web site: http://www.cobalis.com/
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