




Healthcare Industry News: PKU
News Release - January 28, 2008
BioMarin Appoints Dr. Gordon Vehar, Vice President of Research
NOVATO, Calif., Jan. 28 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq and SWX: BMRN News) announced today the appointment of Dr. Gordon Vehar as Vice President of Research. Former Vice President of Research and Development for Raven Biotechnologies, Dr. Vehar is the inventor of numerous biotechnology patents and the recipient of a collection of prestigious scientific awards including two Distinguished Inventor of the Year Awards from Intellectual Property Owners, Inc."We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Vehar to BioMarin. He brings with him extraordinary research and drug development experience and his contributions will substantially bolster our efforts to grow our early pipeline at BioMarin," said Dr. Emil Kakkis, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Vehar also served in various roles throughout a 20-year tenure with Genentech, including Director of Cardiovascular Research and Staff Scientist for Cardiovascular Research and Protein Chemistry. Also at Genentech, he served as Project Team Leader on various drug discovery and development projects, which yielded four marketed products. He is the recipient of the Murray Thelin Award for Outstanding Research presented by the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Inventor of the Year Award given by Intellectual Property Owners, Inc., for the human tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) patent for the treatment of heart attacks and stroke, and the Distinguished Inventor of the Year Award from Intellectual Property Owners, Inc. for the patent on recombinant Factor VIII, a genetically engineered clotting factor enabling production of a therapeutic product for treating hemophilia A. Dr. Vehar has served on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Oklahoma Center for Molecular Medicine, he is an inventor with 37 issued patents and is the author of more than 35 publications. Dr. Vehar received a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati Medical School.
Dr. Vehar joins two other new executives recently appointed to BioMarin: Steve Glass, Vice President and General Manager of European Operations and Lewis Chapman, Vice President of Global Marketing. Recent internal leadership appointments include Luisa Bigornia, Vice President of Intellectual Property, and Dr. Charles O'Neill, Vice President of Pharmacological Sciences.
About BioMarin
BioMarin develops and commercializes innovative biopharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. The company's product portfolio comprises three approved products and multiple clinical and preclinical product candidates. Approved products include Naglazyme® (galsulfase) for mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI), a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; Aldurazyme® (laronidase) for mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), a product which BioMarin developed through a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme Corporation; and Kuvan(TM) (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Tablets, a product for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), developed in partnership with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany. Other product candidates include 6R-BH4 for cardiovascular indications, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease and sickle cell disease, and PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase) for the treatment of PKU. For additional information, please visit http://www.BMRN.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the business prospects of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., including, without limitation, statements about the development and commercialization of products; actions by regulatory authorities; and statements regarding the development of its product candidates. These forward-looking statements are predictions and involve risks and uncertainties such that actual results may differ materially from these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the results and timing of current and planned clinical trials; and those factors detailed in BioMarin's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the factors contained under the caption "Risk Factors" in BioMarin's 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Stockholders are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. BioMarin is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
BioMarin® and Naglazyme® are registered trademarks of BioMarin
Pharmaceutical Inc.
Source: BioMarin Pharmaceutical
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