ERIMOS PHARMACEUTICALS NAMES VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL
Jean Chitwood brings a wealth of knowledge in the oncology marketplace
RALEIGH, NC (October 5, 2005) — Erimos Pharmaceutical, LLC, a biotechnology company focused on the advancement of small molecule therapeutics to treat cancer, HIV and other chronic medical conditions, today announced the appointment of Jean Chitwood as its Vice President, Commercial. Ms. Chitwood, who brings more than 15 years of industry experience to Erimos, was most recently Leader of Oncology Marketing at EMD Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. subsidiary of Merck KGaA, where she directed product marketing strategy and US market development of a portfolio of oncology products. Ms. Chitwood will work with Chief Operating Officer Neil Frazer, MD, to direct product marketing strategy and commercialization of Erimos’ pipeline of products.
“We are very pleased to have Jean join our executive team,” said Neil Frazer, MD and COO at Erimos. “Her experience in preparing new products for launch, her knowledge of the oncology market and the fact that she has successfully operated in both large pharmaceutical companies and in start-up environments make Jean a great asset for Erimos as we build the organization and prepare for our first product launch.”
“I am excited about joining Erimos and helping position EM-1421, their lead development candidate, as a significant new treatment option for patients with cancer,” said Jean Chitwood. “EM-1421 targets a protein, survivin, produced in excess by most cancer cells, and not by healthy adult cells. In early trials, EM-1421 shows promise as a highly selective tumor killing drug, and has not shown the typical toxic effects seen with current chemotherapy.”
Ms. Chitwood began her career in the pharmaceutical industry with Burroughs Wellcome Company where she held positions of increasing responsibility including Oncology Group Product Manager. Following her tenure with Burroughs Wellcome, she held both US operational positions and global roles in business strategy and integration at Quintiles, a contract research and marketing company. Ms. Chitwood earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Technology from Radford University and her MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is a founding member of the RTP Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association affiliate and serves on the General Board of The Women’s Center in Chapel Hill, NC.
About Erimos
Erimos is a privately owned biotechnology company focused on the advancement of small molecule therapeutics to treat cancer, HIV and other chronic medical conditions. Erimos’ philosophy is to develop effective medicines which have a low toxicity profile for diseases with unmet need. At the center of Erimos’ drug discovery efforts is the development of a small molecule drug exclusively licensed from The Johns Hopkins University to provide a safe and effective therapy for refractory and metastatic cancers. EM-1421 is currently in clinical trials in topical and intravenous formulations. An oral formulation of the drug is under evaluation. Erimos is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with primary research and development facilities in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the Centennial Campus of NC State University. For more information, please visit Erimos’ website at www.erimos.com.
For further information, or to arrange for interviews, please contact:
Nancy Wiersma
Corporate Communications
Erimos Pharmaceutical, LLC
(919) 821-5204
nwiersma@erimos.com