2011-05-16 12:03:22 -
Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Napo) which focuses on the development and commercialization of proprietary pharmaceuticals for the global marketplace in collaboration with local partners, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Dennis M. Fenton, Ph.D., to the Napo Board of Directors. Dr. Fenton has over thirty years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience including over 25 years at Amgen, Inc. where he coordinated the design, construction and expansion of manufacturing facilities for Epogen(R) (epoetin alfa) and Neupogen(R) (filgrastim), two of the premier products in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Fenton served in numerous positions at Amgen including executive roles in process development, manufacturing, sales and marketing and research and development, with his last position being Executive Vice President.
Dr. Fenton is a director
of life science companies including Xenoport, Inc., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Genelux Corporation and Kythera Biopharmaceuticals. He is a Director/Trustee at Rutgers University and a Trustee of the Keck Graduate Institute, and the Biotechnology Institute.
Dr. Fenton holds 5 US patents in microbiology and has published over 50 papers and abstracts. Dr. Fenton has a B.S. in Biology from Manhattan College and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Rutgers University.
“We are extremely pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Fenton to our Board of Directors. His expertise in manufacturing and the pharmaceutical industry in general is a very timely addition to Napo’s Board of Directors. Importantly, Dennis also shares our vision and goal of providing access to crofelemer to global populations,” said Lisa A.
Conte, CEO of Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Board of Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. I think Napo has a great opportunity and I look forward to drawing on my experience in manufacturing and operations to help Napo continue its progress,” said Dr. Fenton.
About Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. focuses on the development and commercialization of proprietary pharmaceuticals for the global marketplace in collaboration with local partners. The company seeks partners in both traditional high-value markets as well as in the higher volume business models of emerging and developing economies. Napo was founded in November 2001 and is based in San Francisco, Calif., with a subsidiary in Mumbai, India.
About Crofelemer
Napo’s proprietary patented gastrointestinal compound, crofelemer, is a first-in-class anti-secretory agent extracted from Croton lechleri, a medicinal plant sustainably harvested under fair trade working conditions from South America. Crofelemer is in various stages of clinical development for four distinct indications.
1. Crofelemer for HIV-related diarrhea (CRO-HIV), completed Phase 3; highly significant data recently released, NDA filing targeted for mid-2011.
2. Crofelemer for diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (CRO-IBS), Phase 2
3. Crofelemer for acute infectious/watery diarrhea (including cholera), (CRO-ID), Phase 2
4. Crofelemer for pediatric diarrhea (CRO-PED), Phase 1
The FDA has granted fast track status to crofelemer development for IBS- and HIV-related indications.
In addition to crofelemer Napo holds exclusive worldwide rights to novel small-molecule potential second-generation anti-secretory agents, which have been licensed to the company by the Regents of the University of California, and are the subject of NIAID funding. Napo is developing an early clinical stage/ready for Phase 2 product, NP-500, for the treatment of insulin-resistant diseases of Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Napo has a library of approximately 2,300 medicinal plants.
Napo’s discovery process leverages the knowledge of traditional healers, or shamans, working in rain forest areas. The company provides benefit sharing to the cultures with which it works through a non-profit it established called the Healing Forest Conservancy, devoted to recognizing the intellectual contributions of indigenous knowledge, the conservation of biological diversity, indigenous cultures, and the basic human rights of those communities.
Please note: The materials provided herein contain projections and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such statements are just predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the cost and unpredictability of the duration and results of clinical trials and FDA approval; the possible impairment of, or inability to obtain, intellectual property rights and the costs of obtaining such rights from third parties; market acceptance for approved products; ability to secure the product; and generic and other competition and the need to acquire new products.
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Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Lisa Conte, +1-415-371-8302, CEO www.napopharma.com :
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