Cell Genesys Promotes Three Members of Executive Management Team
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEGE - News) today announced the promotion of Michael W. Ramsay to senior vice president of manufacturing operations, Robert H. Tidwell to senior vice president of corporate development and Peter K. Working, Ph.D. to senior vice president of research and development. All three previously held positions as vice presidents with the company. ADVERTISEMENT
"We are pleased to announce the promotions of Mike Ramsay, Bob Tidwell and Peter Working to senior vice president which reflect their broad responsibilities and key contributions to our business as we approach the initiation of Phase III clinical trials for our lead product programs," stated Stephen A. Sherwin, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Cell Genesys. "In addition, Mike, Bob and Peter all bring to Cell Genesys extensive biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry experience at the executive level and a proven track record of successfully developing and commercializing biopharmaceutical products."
Michael W. Ramsay joined Cell Genesys earlier this year as vice president, manufacturing operations. Mr. Ramsay, who previously served as a vice president of manufacturing at ALZA Corporation, has over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including 11 years of pharmaceutical manufacturing experience at both clinical and commercial scale. As senior vice president, Mr. Ramsay will continue to oversee all Cell Genesys manufacturing and related operations at the company's three manufacturing facilities in Hayward, CA, San Diego, CA and Memphis, TN, all of which will have Phase III trial and market launch good manufacturing practices (GMP) capabilities.
Robert H. Tidwell joined the company in September 2000 as vice president, corporate development. Mr. Tidwell, who previously served as vice president of business development at Genetics Institute Inc., California Biotechnology (now Scios, Inc.) and most recently Calydon, Inc., has over 30 years of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry experience in business development and marketing. As senior vice president, Mr. Tidwell will continue to oversee Cell Genesys' business development and patent departments including the corporate-wide planning function as well as the identification of future commercial partnership opportunities.
Peter K. Working, Ph.D. joined the company in August 2001 as vice president, research and development. Dr. Working, who previously served as vice president of analytical and non-clinical sciences and principal scientist at ALZA Corporation has over 20 years of pharmaceutical research and development experience, including 14 years in the biotechnology industry. As senior vice president, Dr. Working will continue to oversee all of the company's research and development activities including the support of both clinical stage programs and an expanding pipeline of new potential products for the treatment of cancer.
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, Inc., is focused on gene therapies for neurologic disorders. Cell Genesys also continues to hold approximately nine million shares of common stock in its former subsidiary, Abgenix, Inc., an antibody products company. Cell Genesys is headquartered in Foster City, CA and has manufacturing operations in San Diego, CA, Hayward, CA and Memphis, TN. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.cellgenesys.com.
Statements made herein about the company and its subsidiaries, other than statements of historical fact, including statements about the company's progress and results and timing of clinical trials and preclinical programs, plans for manufacturing facilities and the 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, clinical trials, the regulatory approval process for clinical trials, competitive technologies and products, patents, continuation of corporate partnerships and the need for 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 1, 2002 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. The company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this press release.
CONTACT: Jennifer Cook Williams, Associate Director of Corporate Communications of Cell Genesys, Inc., +1-650-425-4542.
SOURCE: Cell Genesys, Inc. |
