Cell Genesys Appoints Michael Ramsay Vice President of Manufacturing Operations
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEGE - news) today announced that Michael W. Ramsay has joined the company in the new position of vice president, manufacturing operations. Mr. Ramsay, who served most recently as a vice president of manufacturing at ALZA Corporation, brings over 24 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, including 11 years of pharmaceutical manufacturing experience at both clinical and commercial scale. Mr. Ramsay, who will report to Joseph J. Vallner, Ph.D., president and chief operating officer, was previously a key member of Dr. Vallner's team at SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals -- a team which successfully developed and launched pharmaceutical products including the cancer product, Doxil®.
``Cell Genesys has developed a leadership position in manufacturing capacity for gene therapy products, and we are delighted to have Mike join our team at a time when we are significantly expanding our manufacturing infrastructure in preparation for Phase III clinical trials and market launch,'' stated Dr. Vallner. ``Mike's experience in managing the manufacturing function from clinical stage through market launch will prove invaluable as we advance multiple clinical stage products into Phase III clinical trials in the next 12 to 18 months.''
Mr. Ramsay, 45, previously with ALZA Corporation, has held various positions, including vice president of manufacturing operations, with SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals where he served a key role in transitioning the company from a research based company to a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company supplying drugs commercially to the United States, Europe, and other countries. Prior to SEQUUS, he held various positions focusing on manufacturing, product development and regulatory affairs at Syntex Corporation. Mr. Ramsay holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
Cell Genesys is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic products for cancer based on gene therapy technologies. The company is pursuing three cancer product platforms -- GVAX® cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus therapies and in vivo cancer gene therapies. Clinical trials of GVAX® vaccines are under way in prostate cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia and myeloma. Clinical trials of oncolytic virus therapies include CG7060 and CG7870 in prostate cancer. Preclinical stage programs include oncolytic virus therapies and gene therapies for multiple types of cancer. Cell Genesys' majority-owned subsidiary, Ceregene, is focused on gene therapies for neurologic disorders. Cell Genesys also continues to hold a 10.5 percent equity interest in its former subsidiary, Abgenix, an antibody products company. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.cellgenesys.com.
Statements made herein about Cell Genesys and its subsidiaries, other than statements of historical fact, including statements about the progress, reports and timelines of clinical trials and preclinical programs and nature of product pipelines are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including risks associated with the success of research and development programs, the ability to manufacture products for clinical trials, the success and results of clinical trials and preclinical studies, the regulatory approval process, competitive technologies and products, patents and additional financings. For information about these and other risks which may affect Cell Genesys, please see the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K dated April 2, 2001 as well as Cell Genesys' reports on Form 10-Q and 8-K and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: Jennifer Cook Williams, Associate Director, Corporate Communications of Cell Genesys, Inc., +1-650-425-4542.
SOURCE: Cell Genesys, Inc. |
