LONDON, April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
- Board Aligned to Company's Growth Strategy
Curidium Medica plc, ('Curidium' or the 'Company') today announced changes to its Board of Directors. Dr. Gosse B. Bruinsma, M.D. has been appointed as an Executive Director and will become Executive Chairman, subject to shareholder approval as a director, immediately after the next Annual General Meeting on the 23rd May 2007. Dr. Phyllis E. Whiteley, Ph.D has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director. These changes are in line with the Company's objectives outlined in its AIM admission document. As a result Mr. Simon Cartmell, Non-Executive Chairman, will retire from the board after the Company's next Annual General Meeting to concentrate on his other extensive business interests. Dr. Anne T. Bruinvels continues as the Company's Chief Executive Officer.
Gosse B. Bruinsma most recently served as Director and President and CEO of Axonyx Inc. in New York until he successfully merged the company with a private USA-based company in October 2006. During his tenure with Axonyx he also fulfilled the role of Chief Operating Officer from February 2001 to September 2003 and President from September 2003 until the merger. He was also President of Axonyx Europe BV between October 2000 and October 2006. For more than 20 years Gosse has held senior level positions at a number of biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical service companies, including European Medical Director for Zambon, Milan, Vice President for Medical and Regulatory Affairs for ClinTrials Research, UK, Medical Director for Forest Laboratories in New York, and General Manager and VP Development for Chrysalis Clinical Services Europe based in Switzerland. Gosse received his undergraduate degree from McGill University, Montreal and his medical degree from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OXIS International in 2004. Gosse currently serves as Director on the Supervisory Board of Agendia BV based in Amsterdam and advises several other companies at executive and Board level.
Phyllis E. Whiteley, PhD is a director of the US Personalized Medicine Coalition and she was until recently Senior Vice President of Business Development and Licensing of Perlegen Inc., a US based personalized medicine company. Prior to Perlegen, Phyllis was Vice President Strategic Portfolio Management, Global Pharma Research Strategy for F. Hoffman La Roche. During her ten year tenure with Roche she held various positions including Vice President Business Development and Global Licensing Director based in Basel, Switzerland and other research leadership positions including Therapeutic Area Head. Prior to Roche, Phyllis was with Merck. She holds a Ph.D., Pharmacology from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
"I am very pleased that Dr Bruinsma and Dr Whiteley have joined our Board" said Dr Anne Bruinvels, Chief Executive Officer of Curidium Medica plc, "Their extensive industry experience and network will be invaluable in leveraging the significant recent results associated with our Homomatrix(r) technology and the growth opportunities that now present themselves to the Company. I would like to thank Simon Cartmell for his invaluable contribution over the past three years and, on behalf of the Company, wish him every success in the future."
Blue Oar Securities Plc
About Curidium
Curidium is a company focused on identifying targeted medicines to treat patients more effectively. Through the application of its proprietary technology, Homomatrix(r), Curidium analyses biological data (gene expression /protein data) from patients suffering from complex or multi-factorial diseases. Patient populations with complex disorders are known to be heterogeneous and only certain sub-groups of patients respond to a specific treatment. Curidium believes that Homomatrix will ultimately allow for the development of the right drug for the right patient. The Company files patents around the genes and drug targets that are associated with the specific subgroups of patients.
Further information on Curidium can be found at the Company's website: .
Curidium Medica PLC
CONTACT: For further information please contact: Anne Bruinvels,+44-(0)-20-7554-8790, CEO, Curidium Medica plc, Rob Smith,+44-(0)-20-7554-8793, Finance Director, Curidium Medica plc, Rhodri Cruwys,+44-(0)-20-7448-4400