QUÉBEC CITY, Jan. 3, 2014
/PRNewswire/ - Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS) (TSX: AEZ)
(the "Company") today announced the appointment of
Richard Sachse, MD, PhD, as Senior
Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer. Before joining Aeterna
Zentaris, Dr. Sachse was Vice President, Head of Global
Translational Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim.
"We are very proud to welcome Dr. Sachse to our leadership team.
As CSO, he will be responsible for all areas of our global research
and development activities, while also serving on the corporate
Operating Committee. In developing his industry career, Dr. Sachse
has held increasingly responsible positions with several leading
pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer, Schwarz Pharma, UCB and
Boehringer Ingelheim, overseeing major drug development programs in
a variety of different therapeutic areas, including oncology and
endocrinology", said David Dodd,
President and CEO of Aeterna Zentaris.
Dr. Sachse added, "I am delighted to get the opportunity to
become part of Aeterna Zentaris' team and very much looking forward
to contribute in advancing the Company's portfolio pipeline along
the value chain. I believe that the combination of Aeterna
Zentaris' highly qualified and motivated personnel, together with
its strong scientific platform, holds much promise for the future
success of our projects."
Dr. Sachse's Background
Dr. Sachse holds a degree in medicine from the
Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen, in Germany, and a board certification in Clinical
Pharmacology. With more than 20 years experience as a physician and
scientist, he has extensive expertise in a variety of different
therapeutic areas including endocrinology and oncology. In addition
to registration studies, he is especially experienced in the design
and implementation of translational programs to bridge research
programs to the clinic, as well as in the design and implementation
of clinical pharmacology programs, including all required profiling
studies and activities, enabling successful registration of
products at the international level.
From 1996 to 2000, he was International Project Leader at the
Bayer AG Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, and Principal
Investigator at the Bayer Clinical Pharmacology Unit, implementing
innovative exploratory development tools, including biomarkers to
demonstrate early Proof of Concept. From 2001 to 2006, Dr. Sachse
held a variety of different management positions within early and
late phase clinical development programs, including
responsibilities for completed Phase 3 programs leading to
successful NDA/MAA submissions. In 2007, after a merger, he became
Senior Director, Head of Experimental Medicine, at UCB in
Belgium, where he managed the
implementation of novel biomarkers in clinical development to
provide data supporting identification of appropriate target
indication and target population. In 2010, Dr. Sachse became Vice
President, Head of Global Translational Medicine at Boehringer
Ingelheim.
About Aeterna Zentaris Inc.
Aeterna Zentaris is a specialty biopharmaceutical company
engaged in developing novel treatments in oncology and
endocrinology. The Company's pipeline encompasses compounds from
drug discovery to regulatory approval. For more information, visit
www.aezsinc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements
relating to the expected impact of the transfer of the listing of
the Company's shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that
could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, among others, market reaction to the
transfer of the listing of the shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market,
the availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects,
the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the risk
that safety and efficacy data from any of our Phase 3 trials
may not coincide with the data analyses from previously reported
Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 clinical trials, the ability of the
Company 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
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. We disclaim any obligation
to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of
any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained
herein to reflect future results, events or developments, unless
required to do so by a governmental authority or by applicable
law.
SOURCE Aeterna Zentaris Inc.