Anavex appoints Dr. George Tidmarsh as Executive Director
HOBOKEN, NJ, October 12, 2011 – Anavex Life Sciences Corp., (“Anavex”) today announced the appointment of Dr. George Tidmarsh as director, and his engagement to act as an executive director. Dr. Tidmarsh is an executive-level physician/scientist and consultant who has founded and built several successful biotechnology companies. He has more than 20 years of experience and brings to Anavex a significant track record in clinical trials, FDA drug approvals and corporate growth.
“Anavex has established itself as an innovative leader in the field of Alzheimer’s drug research and development. I am extremely pleased to be joining the company at such an exciting time in its evolution”, said Dr. Tidmarsh. “The advancement of ANAVEX 2-73, the company’s lead compound for Alzheimer’s disease, coupled with a robust product pipeline and potential to apply proprietary technology to the development of additional drug candidates represent significant growth opportunities for Anavex. I look forward to working with the Anavex team and to helping propel the company to new heights.”
“Welcoming an executive with Dr. Tidmarsh’s qualifications, reputation for success in clinical trials and performance standards is critical for Anavex at this stage in our growth”, said Harvey Lalach, President of Anavex. “Dr. Tidmarsh has direct experience in successful early-stage trials, the ability to successfully expand emerging companies as well as expert pharmaceutical knowledge. We appreciate Dr. Tidmarsh’s confidence in Anavex and believe his qualifications will help take the company to the next level.”
Dr. Tidmarsh is also a consultant for biopharmaceutical companies and is currently working with Citizen’s Oncology Foundation and Solana Therapeutics among others. He has also founded several successful companies including Horizon Therapeutics (now Horizon Pharma) (NASDAQ: HZNP). From 2005 through 2008 Dr. Tidmarsh served as Horizon’s Chief Executive Officer, successfully completing four Phase I and two large Phase III trials, including the registration trials for Duexa. Prior to Horizon, Dr. Tidmarsh founded Threshold Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: THLD) where he served as the company’s President and as a Director from 2001 to 2006. Most recently, Dr. Tidmarsh served as Chief Scientific Officer at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals as a part of their acquisition of Metronome Therapeutics, a novel cancer drug development company that Dr. Tidmarsh founded in 2007. In addition, Dr. Tidmarsh’s background includes various positions at Coulter Pharmaceuticals, including Chief Medical Officer, and SEQQUS where he played a key role in the approval of Doxil. He has also held scientific and clinical positions at Gilead Sciences and SyStemix.
Dr. Tidmarsh has published 25 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals and authored 15 U.S. patents. He received his Bachelor of Science, M.D., and Ph.D. from Stanford University, where he also completed Residency and Fellowship training. In addition, Dr. Tidmarsh is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neonatology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (www.anavex.com) is an emerging biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel drug targets for the treatment of cancer and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and depression. The company’s proprietary SIGMACEPTOR™ Discovery Platform involves the rational design of drug compounds that fulfill specific criteria based on unmet market needs and new scientific advances. Selected drug candidates demonstrate high, non-exclusive affinity for sigma receptors, which are involved in the modulation of multiple cellular biochemical signaling pathways.
Anavex’s SIGMACEPTOR™-N program involves the development of novel and original drug candidates that target neurological and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, depression, pain). The company’s lead drug candidates exhibit high, non-exclusive affinity for sigma receptors with strong evidence for anti-amnesic and neuroprotective properties. The company believes that oxidative stress, not amyloid-beta, is the cause of Alzheimer’s. ANAVEX 1-41 and ANAVEX 2-73 modulate sigma receptors, a unique class of receptor molecules, to guard against oxidative stress and repair cells compromised by its effects. So far, through the advanced pre-clinical phase of development, the compounds have performed extremely well in well-recognized animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, underscoring the promise of the company’s new alternative approach to the disease.
Anavex is a publically traded company under the symbol “AVXL”.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug discovery and development, which include, without limitation, the potential failure of development candidates to advance through preclinical studies or demonstrate safety and efficacy in clinical testing and the ability to file an IND or commence clinical studies. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
For Further Information
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