 |
Tercica Names Michael Astrue to Board of Directors
BRISBANE, CA
PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX
August 17, 2005
Tercica, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRCA) announced today that it has named Michael
Astrue to the company's board of directors.
"As a strategist and business leader in the biotech industry,
and with his extensive orphan drug and regulatory experience, Michael
is in a position to make significant contributions to Tercica's success,"
said President and Chief Executive Officer of Tercica, John A. Scarlett,
M.D. "As we stand poised for the commercial launch of our first
product, and as we evaluate future growth opportunities for the company,
his appointment adds valuable depth to our board of directors."
Mr. Astrue most recently was president and chief executive officer
of Transkaryotic Therapies where through his leadership, the company's
market capitalization grew in 26 months from approximately $150 million
to $1.6 billion at the time of its buyout earlier this year. Prior
to joining Transkaryotic Therapies in 2000 as its general counsel,
Mr. Astrue was general counsel at Biogen and a partner at the Boston
law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo. From 1989
to 1992, he was General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. From 1988 to 1989, Mr. Astrue served as Associate
Counsel to Presidents Reagan and Bush, briefly also serving as White
House ethics officer. Prior to that, Mr. Astrue was Counselor to the
Commissioner of Social Security at the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, and was acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislation
(Human Services).
Mr. Astrue also sits on the boards of ArQule, Inc., CuraGen Corporation,
the Massachusetts High Technology Council, and the Kenneth B. Schwartz
Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the relationship
between patients and caregivers in the changing health care system.
He formerly was an adjunct instructor at Boston University Law School
and currently is an adjunct instructor at Emerson College. Mr. Astrue
received his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University and his J.D.
cum laude from Harvard University.
"I am excited to join Tercica's board of directors at such a
pivotal time in the company's development," said Mr. Astrue.
"I look forward to helping the company advance its business strategy
as it becomes a commercial organization."
Also today, Tercica announced that Olle Isaksson has resigned from
the board, effective immediately. Commenting on Professor Isaksson's
stepping down from the Board, Dr. Ross Clark, Tercica's Founder, Director
and Chief Technical Officer said, "Olle was instrumental in the
founding of Tercica, raising our first seed funding, and supporting
our vision of turning the promise of rhIGF-1 as a mediator of growth
and metabolism into a new drug to treat short stature. Tercica thanks
Olle for his many contributions to the company's rapid progress from
start-up to public company, and especially for his service to the
Board since the company's inception." Professor Isaksson is Head
of the Department of Internal Medicine at Sahlgrenska University Hospital
in Goteborg, Sweden.
About Tercica
Tercica, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development
and commercialization of products to improve endocrine health. The
Company's first product candidate, Increlex™ (mecasermin (rDNA
origin) injection), or recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1
(rhIGF-1), is being developed for the treatment of short stature and
associated metabolic disorders. For further information on Tercica,
please visit www.tercica.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for the historical statements contained herein, this press
release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation
the statements that the Company is planning for a commercial launch
and transitioning into a commercial organization. Because Tercica's
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties,
there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors
include without limitation: (1) those risks and uncertainties disclosed
from time to time in reports filed by Tercica with the SEC, most recently
Tercica's Form 10-Q filed on August 4, 2005; and (2) that there would
be no product launch if the FDA does not grant Tercica marketing approval,
grants Tercica marketing approval covering so few patients that it
is not commercially reasonable for the Company to launch, or grants
Insmed Incorporated's product marketing exclusivity under the Orphan
Drug Act that would block Tercica from being able to market or sell
its product. These statements are based on information as of August
16, 2005, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statement.
SOURCE Tercica, Inc.
investors, Ina McGuinness, Vice President, Corporate Communications
& Investor
Relations, +1-650-624-4949, or ina.mcguinness@tercica.com,
or media, Kathleen
Rinehart, Director, Public Relations, +1-650-238-1512, or kathleen.rinehart@tercica.com,
both of Tercica, Inc. http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2005 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
News Provided by COMTEX
|
 |
|