Aeterna Zentaris appoints Jurgen Ernst Chairman of the Board of Directors and David J. Mazzo, Ph.D. a Board Member
August 14 2007 - 7:15AM
PR Newswire (US)
QUEBEC CITY, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aeterna Zentaris
Inc. (TSX: AEZ; NASDAQ: AEZS), a global biopharmaceutical company
focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, today announced the
appointments of Jurgen Ernst as Chairman of the Board of Directors
and David J. Mazzo, Ph.D., the Company's President and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO), to its Board of Directors, effective
immediately. Jurgen Ernst has served as Vice Chairman since
November 2005 and succeeds Eric Dupont, Ph.D., who has served as
Executive Chairman since January 2003 and who is stepping down from
the Board, also effective today. Jurgen Ernst, Chairman of Aeterna
Zentaris, stated, "Dr. Dupont's contributions to the growth and
evolution of Aeterna Zentaris have proven to be invaluable. Since
founding the Company in 1991, Dr. Dupont has established Aeterna
Zentaris as a solid, global biopharmaceutical company. He
successfully piloted the spin-off in January 2007 of our former
subsidiary, Atrium Innovations Inc., which was created out of the
Company's commercial activities at the end of 1999. With Aeterna
Zentaris emerging earlier this year as a mature, pure-play global
biopharmaceutical company with a rich pipeline, the implementation
of a highly skilled and well experienced new management team, as
well as the Company's secure financial position, Dr. Dupont and the
Board of Directors agreed that now would be an appropriate time for
him to retire from the Board and for the Company to name a new
Chairman of the Board. On behalf of the entire Aeterna Zentaris
organization, especially the Board of Directors, I would like to
personally thank Dr. Dupont for his undying dedication, passion and
tenacity over the years, and I am grateful he will remain a special
advisor to the Board to ensure a smooth transition." David J.
Mazzo, Ph.D., President and CEO of Aeterna Zentaris, added, "We are
very pleased that Jurgen Ernst has agreed to take on additional
responsibilities as Chairman of our Board of Directors. Jurgen is a
seasoned executive, and we will continue to benefit from his 35
years of pharmaceutical industry experience, specifically corporate
development and pharmaceutical product marketing expertise." Dr.
Dupont will serve as a special advisor to the Board of Directors of
Aeterna Zentaris until the end of the year. About Aeterna Zentaris
Inc. Aeterna Zentaris Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company
focused on endocrine therapy and oncology with proven expertise in
drug discovery, development and commercialization. News releases
and additional information are available at
http://www.aeternazentaris.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This
press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including
statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words
"believes", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "expects",
"estimates", "will," "may", "should", "approximately", and the
negative or other variations of those terms or comparable
terminology, are forward-looking statements. Such statements
reflect management's current views, intentions, strategies and
plans and are based on certain assumptions. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which
could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, among others, the ability of Aeterna
Zentaris to implement its business strategies, the availability of
funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the successful and
timely completion of clinical studies, the ability of Aeterna
Zentaris to take advantage of business opportunities in the
pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory
process and general changes in economic conditions. Investors
should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the
Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information
on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking
statements. Investors are cautioned not to rely on these
forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to
update these forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: AETERNA
ZENTARIS INC. CONTACT: Jenene Thomas, Senior Director, Investor
Relations and Corporate Communications, (418) 655-6420,
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