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Gloucester Pharmaceuticals Appoints Jean C. Nichols, Ph.D., Executive
Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer
Cambridge, MA
June 1, 2006
Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held cancer therapeutics
development company, today announced
the appointment of Jean C. Nichols, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President
and Chief Scientific Officer. In this newly created position Dr.
Nichols will play a pivotal role in the further development of the
company's lead product, depsipeptide, for T-cell lymphomas and other
oncology indications. Dr. Nichols will also participate in clinical
development, strategic business development and collaborative research
relationships.
Dr. Nichols is a biopharmaceutical industry executive with significant
operating, technical, development, general management and fundraising
experience. While at Seragen Corporation (now Ligand Pharmaceuticals)
she led the team responsible for development of ONTAK(r), the first
drug
approved for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL),
directing all product development activities, manufacturing, clinical
trials and regulatory affairs. Her research experience includes
infectious diseases, biochemistry, molecular genetics, drug delivery
and
diagnostics.
"We are pleased to have Jean join the senior executive team at
Gloucester," commented Martin Vogelbaum, Chairman of Gloucester's
Board of Directors. "Her oncology development experience, especially
with ONTAK(r) will be invaluable as depsipeptide continues to progress
through its pivotal trial in CTCL and enters additional pivotal and
clinical studies later this year."
Since 2003 Dr. Nichols has been founder and president of JNichols,
LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic positioning and execution
of product development programs for biopharmaceutical companies. From
2000 to 2002, Dr. Nichols served as managing director and chief operating
officer at StoneGate Partners LLC, an investment firm focused on private
placement financing for high growth, technology based companies. From
1983 - 1999, Dr. Nichols served in a variety of senior management
positions at Seragen, Inc., becoming president and chief scientific
officer in 1996. During her tenure the company gained FDA approval
for their first therapeutic product, ONTAK(r), which is currently
approved for CTCL. Dr. Nichols also managed Seragen's corporate alliances,
including Eli Lilly and U.S. Surgical and consummated an $80 million
merger with Ligand Pharmaceuticals in 1999.
Dr. Nichols received both her B.S. in biology and Ph.D. in bacteriology
and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She completed her post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School
and served as a member of the junior faculty before entering the biotechnology
industry.
About Depsipeptide (FK228)
Depsipeptide is a novel agent in a new class of anti-cancer drugs
known as histone deacetylase inhibitors. The Company is conducting
a pivotal study of depsipeptide for patients with cutaneous T-cell
lymphoma (CTCL). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed
the trial protocol under its Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) process
prior to the initiation of the pivotal study. Depsipeptide has received
both Fast Track and Orphan Drug designation for CTCL by the FDA, and
Orphan Drug Designation from the EMEA, as monotherapy for CTCL patients
who have relapsed, or become refractory to, at least one prior systemic
therapy. Depsipeptide is in phase II trials for a variety of other
hematologic malignancies and solid tumors including peripheral T-cell
lymphoma, hormone refractory prostate cancer and multiple myeloma.
These trials and others are being conducted by the Company or the
National Cancer institute (NCI), under a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Company.
About Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately held, venture-backed
company that develops and commercializes innovative products for the
treatment of cancer patients. Gloucester is headquartered in Cambridge,
MA. For more information visit our website at www.gloucesterpharma.com.
For more information on Gloucester's clinical trials, please call
888-GPI-CTCL (888-474-2825) or visit www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00106431
regarding Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma or www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00106418
regarding prostate cancer.
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For more information, please contact:
Beverly Holley
Email: beverly@gloucesterpharma.com
Tel: (781) 235-9803
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