AEterna Zentaris Announces Appointments to its Board, as well as to the Board and Management of its Subsidiary Atrium Biotechnol
December 15 2004 - 7:31AM
PR Newswire (US)
AEterna Zentaris Announces Appointments to its Board, as well as to
the Board and Management of its Subsidiary Atrium Biotechnologies
QUEBEC CITY, CANADA, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dr. Eric
Dupont, Chairman of AEterna Zentaris Inc. (TSX: AEZ; Nasdaq: AEZS)
today announced the appointment of Gerard A. Limoges, CM, FCA, to
its Board of Directors, replacing Dr. Francis Bellido, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Biomundis Biotechnology Investment
Fund. Mr. Limoges will also serve as Chairman of the Audit
Committee. Mr. Pierre MacDonald, former Chairman of this Committee,
will remain Committee and Board member. Furthermore, Dr. Dupont
announced that an external representative of the Societe Generale
de Financement du Quebec (SGF) will be appointed to AEterna
Zentaris' Board in the next few months, following the departure of
Henri A. Roy, former President of the SGF. "We are very proud to
welcome Mr. Limoges to our Board of Directors. His vast experience
in business and finance should contribute in achieving our goals
over the next few years", stated Dr. Eric Dupont, Chairman of
AEterna Zentaris. "I would also like to thank Dr. Bellido and Mr.
Roy for their contribution during the last year." Atrium's Board
Appointments Pierre Laurin, Chairman of the Board of Atrium
Biotechnologies Inc. (Atrium), AEterna Zentaris' 60%-owned
subsidiary, announced the appointment of Dr. Eric Dupont as Vice
Chairman of the Board of Atrium. Luc Dupont, former Vice Chairman
and CEO, is appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of
Atrium, as well as Board member. Furthermore, Mr. Laurin appointed
Gerard Limoges and Jacques Gauthier to the Board of Atrium. Mr.
Limoges will serve as Chairman of the Audit Committee of Atrium,
while Mr. Gauthier will act as the external representative for the
SGF to Atrium's Board replacing former Board member Henri A. Roy.
"We are convinced that these appointments will reinforce Atrium's
Board structure and enable the Company to execute its strategic
plan", stated Pierre Laurin, Chairman of Atrium. "I would also like
to thank Mr. Roy for his contribution during the last year."
Atrium's Management Appointments Furthermore, the following key
management appointments at Atrium were made. John Dempsey is
appointed Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Former Vice
President, Finance, Jocelyn Harvey, becomes Vice President, Mergers
and Acquisitions. Richard Bordeleau, formerly President at Atrium,
is now President, Health and Nutrition Division, while Charles
Boulanger is appointed President, Active Ingredients and Specialty
Chemicals Division. Finally, Yvan Sergerie is appointed Vice
President International, Sales and Marketing, Health and Nutrition
Division. "We are confident that with such enhanced experience to
the Board and its management, Atrium, under the strong leadership
of Luc Dupont, President and CEO of Atrium, is well positioned and
structured to fully achieve its strategic growth plan", added
Gilles Gagnon, President and CEO of AEterna Zentaris. Gerard A.
Limoges, CM, FCA Following a 37-year career at Ernst & Young,
where he acted as Deputy Chairman, Canada, from 1993 until his
retirement in September 1999, Mr. Limoges now devotes his time as
Corporate Director of many companies including Galileo Genomics,
Biogentis Inc., Metro Inc., Fiducie Desjardins, Horizon Sciences
& Technologies Inc. and EngenuityTechnologies Inc. Mr. Limoges
has extensive experience in the fields of accounting, audit,
mergers and acquisitions and has worked for clients in such
industries as the new economy, services, retail, communications,
transportation, finance and insurance. Mr. Limoges has also
received the Order of Canada in 2002. Jacques Gauthier Since March
2004, Mr. Gauthier has been Senior Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer at Kruger, Energy Division, considered as a main
private producer of electricity in Canada. Over the last ten years,
he has held senior executive positions including President and
Chief Executive Officer at Boralex and Vice President, Development
at Cascades. Mr. Gauthier, who earned his law degree from
Sherbrooke University, has extensive experience in the following
sectors: acquisitions, financing, business development and
operations. John Dempsey, MBA, CGA Mr. Dempsey has over 15 years
experience as a Senior Executive in corporate financing and has
developed an expertise in commercial transactions mostly in
innovative structures, negotiations and acquisitions. Mr. Dempsey
worked for large corporations such as Valeurs mobilieres Banque
Laurentienne, Imprimerie Quebecor, Bell Canada, BCE and UAP. He
studied at McGill University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in
electrical engineering and a MBA. He is also a member of the Quebec
Certified General Accountants professional corporation. Charles
Boulanger Mr. Boulanger has vast experience in management, business
development and marketing, which has enabled him to become a top
level executive at both the national and international levels over
the last twenty years, mostly in the petrochemical industry. Mr.
Boulanger is a graduate from Laval University in mechanical
engineering and prior to joining Atrium, was President of Pole
Quebec Chaudiere-Appalaches. Yvan Sergerie Before joining Atrium,
Mr. Sergerie had worked for the multinational Ciba Vision
Corporation, a division of Novartis, the fifth largest
pharmaceutical company in the world. During those years, he was,
among other executive positions at Ciba, President for North
America and Vice President for Asia/Pacific. A graduate in commerce
from Montreal University's HEC (Hautes Etudes Commerciales), Mr.
Sergerie is a seasoned manager in marketing and business
development. About AEterna Zentaris Inc. AEterna Zentaris Inc. is a
biopharmaceutical company focused in oncology and endocrine
therapy. Its extensive portfolio, from drug discovery to marketed
products, includes cetrorelix and perifosine. Cetrorelix, an LHRH
antagonist already marketed for in vitro fertilization under the
brand name Cetrotide(R), is also in advanced clinical development
for the treatment of uterine myoma, endometriosis and benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Perifosine, an orally-active AKT
inhibitor, is in several Phase II trials for multiple cancers.
AEterna Zentaris also owns 60% of Atrium Biotechnologies Inc. This
international company develops, manufactures and markets active
ingredients and specialty chemicals for the cosmetics, chemical,
pharmaceutical and nutritional industries. Its active ingredients
and specialty chemicals division offers more than 1,000 products to
some 2,000 customers while its health and nutrition division has a
line of 500 products geared to a network of 36,000 healthcare
professionals. News releases and additional information about
AEterna Zentaris are available on its new Web site
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. 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
availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the
successful and timely completion of clinical studies, 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 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. (FORMERLY/ANCIENNEMENT - LES LABORATOIRES AETERNA
CONTACT: Media Relations, Paul Burroughs, (418) 652-8525 ext. 406,
; Investor Relations, Jacques Raymond, (418) 652-8525 ext. 360, ;
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Golodetz, (212) 838-3777 ; Europe: Dr. Mathias Pietras, +49 69
42602 3423, ; To request a free copy of this organization's annual
report, please go to http://www.newswire.ca/ and click on
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