Healthcare Industry News: Johnson and Johnson
News Release - March 30, 2009
BrainCells Inc. Appoints Philip Jochelson, M.D. Chief Medical Officer and Jason Levin Chief Business Officer
SAN DIEGO, March 30 -- (Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network) -- BrainCells Inc. (BCI), a company leading the scientific research of neurogenesis using its proprietary platform technology to identify novel pathways for the treatment of neurologic conditions, announced today the appointment of Dr. Philip Jochelson as chief medical officer and Jason Levin as chief business officer. Both have extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry with specific expertise in building neurology assets for success. The two will serve in integral roles managing clinical programs and licensing/partnership agreements for BrainCells' pipeline of neurologic compounds."We have two compounds in Phase 2 trials which will produce the first ever data on clinical impact from targeting neurogenesis for therapeutic benefit," said Jim Schoeneck, BrainCells CEO. "We have confidence in our drug candidates based on what we know about their neurogenic properties from our platform that enables us to conduct comparison analysis between multiple compounds, experiment with various pathways, analyze complex pharmacology, and image and measure the neurogenic process. Philip and Jason are top caliber people that come at a pivotal time in the company's development."
Dr. Jochelson will replace Steve Targum as chief medical officer. His primary focus will be on progression of the company's clinical programs and expansion of the pipeline into broader indications. Dr. Jochelson was most recently senior vice president of development and chief medical officer at Somaxon, a neurology and psychiatry-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, where he was responsible for the development of all product candidates while also supporting financing and business development activities. Prior to that, he was at Neurocrine Biosciences where he led several clinical development programs. Through his combined experience, he has designed and implemented multiple clinical studies across all phases of development, and has progressed three compounds from Phase 1 to NDA submission. Dr. Jochelson previously held positions in clinical development at Boehringer Ingelheim and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. He graduated from Medical School in South Africa and is a licensed physician in California.
Mr. Levin will be responsible for all strategic business development activities including licensing, acquisitions and partnering. He joins BrainCells with more than 15 years of experience in the life science industry, most recently as vice president of corporate development at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a neurology and psychiatry-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, where he was responsible for licensing, acquisitions, corporate strategy and strategic alliances. Prior to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, he was director of business development at ALZA Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, where he was responsible for both in- and out-licensing of the company's drug delivery technology. Mr. Levin received an M.B.A. from the University of Texas, McCombs Graduate School of Business, has been a member of the Licensing Executive Society since 2000 and serves as an advisor to several early stage biopharmaceutical companies.
About BrainCells Inc.
BrainCells Inc. (BCI) is a drug discovery and development company leading the scientific research of neurogenesis by applying its robust and proprietary platform technology to identify novel pathways for small molecule therapeutics to treat various neurologic conditions. Neurogenesis is the process by which endogenous stem cells in the adult human brain produce new brain tissue, including neurons. With its predictive screening platform, BCI can direct the selection and development of neurogenic compounds, increasing the opportunity for successful clinical trials in a variety of neurological indications. For more information, visit http://www.braincellsinc.com.
Source: BrainCells
Issuer of this News Release is solely responsible for its
content.
Please address inquiries directly to the issuing company.
