Myriad Genetics, Inc. Expands Commercial and Clinical Infrastructure
Salt Lake City, UT, Jan 23, 2008—Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) has expanded its commercial and
clinical capabilities, the Company said today. Myriad recently named
Robert Rubens, M.D., as Vice President of Medical Affairs, and James
DeMarco as Vice President of Sales for Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Myriad has also strengthened its management of clinical development
programs by naming Margaret Yu, M.D., as Director of Clinical
Research in Oncology and Andrew Beelen, M.D., as Senior Director of
Clinical Research in Infectious Diseases.
Robert P. Rubens, M.D., MBA, will oversee professional education,
publications, Phase 4 studies, the CNS medical science liaison team,
and the medical information functions at Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
He will lead the formulation of strategic approaches to further
clinical study programs, including managing investigator-initiated
clinical trials and post-marketing studies. Additionally, he will
provide medical review of all promotional materials, sales training
materials and medical communications. Dr. Rubens joined Myriad from
Sepracor, where he served as Executive Medical Director, CNS Medical
Affairs and was a member of the Lunesta launch team. Prior to
Sepracor, Dr. Rubens was U.S. Medical Director, CNS medical for
Pfizer, Inc., and a member of the Relpax launch team. This duty
followed a 17 year career in clinical adult neurology practice,
during which time he was also a clinical associate professor of
neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr.
Rubens earned his medical degree from the UMDNJ New Jersey Medical
School and holds an MBA from the University of Washington where he
also completed his medical internship and neurology residency. He did
his undergraduate work at The Johns Hopkins University.
James DeMarco is responsible for all sales-related activities for
Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He will formulate the brand strategy to
optimize sales of all commercial products and lead the U.S. and
worldwide sales organizations, while overseeing functional areas of
Field Sales, Sales Training and Sales Operations. Mr. Demarco joins
Myriad from Idenix Pharmaceuticals, where he was Vice President, U.S.
Sales. His career in pharmaceutical sales has benefitted companies
beginning with Schering-Plough and Amgen, then Eisai and Idenix and
now Myriad. Mr. DeMarco graduated with a Bachelor's degree from
Rutger's University in Economics/Finance and Philosophy.
Margaret K. Yu, M.D., is responsible for the strategic direction of
clinical development plans for oncology-related compounds, including
Azixa, to ensure successful registration of new drug candidates. Dr.
Yu was previously Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology
at the University of Utah. She earned her medical degree at the
Medical College of Wisconsin and her undergraduate degree in
Biological Sciences from the University of California - Irvine.
Andrew P. Beleen, M.D., is responsible for the overall strategy and
direction of clinical development in the infectious disease field,
including Vivecon. Dr. Beelen joins Myriad from GlaxoSmithKline,
where he was most recently Director, Clinical Pharmacology and
Discovery Medicine at their Infectious Diseases Center for Excellence
in Drug Discovery. Dr. Beleen earned his medical degree from the
State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse (aka
Upstate Medical University) and his undergraduate degree from the
Albany College of Pharmacy.
“I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to all our new employees,”
said Adrian Hobden, Ph.D., President of Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
“Their addition to our team greatly enhances our ability to optimize
the clinical development and commercial launch of our pipeline of
therapeutic products.”
Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the
development of novel healthcare products. The Company develops and
markets predictive medicine products, and is developing and intends to
market therapeutic products. Myriad's news and other information are
available on the Company's Web site at www.myriad.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include statements relating to the
Company's capabilities in commercializing a variety of therapeutics;
the Company's ability to further clinical study programs; the ability
of the Company to formulate brand strategies which will optimize
sales of commercial products; the Company's ability to ensure
successful registration of new drug candidates; the Company's
confidence in the Flurizan program and estimation of likelihood of
success in the Alzheimer's disease phase 3 trial; and the ability of
the Company to commercially introduce Flurizan. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our inability to
further identify, develop and achieve commercial success for new
products and technologies; our ability to discover drugs that are
safer and more efficacious than our competitors; our ability to
develop molecular diagnostic products that help assess which patients
are subject to greater risk of developing diseases and who would
therefore benefit from new preventive therapies; the possibility of
delays in the research and development necessary to select drug
development candidates and delays in clinical trials; the risk that
clinical trials may not result in marketable products; the risk that
we may be unable to successfully finance and secure regulatory
approval of and market our drug candidates, or that clinical trials
will be completed on the timelines we have estimated; uncertainties
about our ability to obtain new corporate collaborations and acquire
new technologies on satisfactory terms, if at all; the development of
competing products and services; our ability to protect our
proprietary technologies; patent-infringement claims; risks of new,
changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the United
States and internationally; and other factors discussed under the
heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 1A in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2007, which has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to
those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. All information in this
press release is as of the date of the release, and Myriad undertakes
no duty to update this information unless required by law.
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