Anika Therapeutics Names Michael Slater Vice President Quality Systems and Regulatory Affairs
BusinessWire, Thursday, February 12, 1998 at 07:35
WOBURN, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 12, 1998--(NASDAQ:ANIK) . .
. ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC. today announced Michael R. Slater, formerly
a senior executive with ImmuLogic Pharmaceutical Corporation and
Biogen, Inc., has joined the company as vice president, quality
systems and regulatory affairs. He fills a post vacated by Mary Ellen
Freddo, who left Anika for personal reasons.
Slater, 51, most recently ran an independent regulatory affairs
consulting practice. From 1995 to 1996, he was executive vice
president, development operations for Waltham-based ImmuLogic
Pharmaceutical Corporation where he was responsible for regulatory
affairs, quality assurance, production, process development and
formulation studies. For the 12 years prior, he was with Biogen, Inc.,
serving for 10 years as vice president, regulatory affairs. Slater
began his corporate career with Hoescht Pharmaceuticals, U.K.
Slater holds a bachelor's degree from the Metropolitan University
of Leeds, England. Among his numerous professional qualifications and
memberships, he was a member of the Biotechnology Advisory Committee
and Subcommittee on FDA affairs of the Pharmaceutical Research
Manufacturers' Association and a member of the FDA Committee of the
Biotechnology Industry Association.
"With one of our key products, ORTHOVISC(r), under review with
the FDA, and being commercialized internationally through the Zimmer
division of Bristol-Myers Squibb and select European distributors,
Michael is joining us at an important time," said J. Melville Engle,
Anika president and chief executive officer. "We welcome his expertise
and expect that Michael will play a key role in obtaining regulatory
approvals and expanding sales," Engle added.
Anika Therapeutics, Inc. develops, manufactures and
commercializes therapeutic products and devices intended to promote
the protection and healing of bone, cartilage and soft tissue. These
products are based on hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring,
biocompatible polymer found throughout the body. Anika's currently
marketed products consist of ORTHOVISC for the treatment of
osteoarthritis in humans and HYVISC(r) for the treatment of equine
osteoarthritis. Anika also manufactures AMVISC(r) and AMVISC(r) Plus,
HA products used as viscoelastic supplements in ophthalmic surgery for
Chiron Vision, a division of Chiron Corporation. Therapies currently
under development include INCERT(r), an HA product designed to prevent
post-surgical adhesions and HA oligosaccharides for the treatment of
cancer. Anika is also collaborating with Orquest, Inc. to manufacture
OSSIGEL(tm), an injectable formulation of basic fibroblast growth
factor combined with HA designed to accelerate the healing of bone
fractures |
