Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Appoints Dr. Pablo Lapuerta Chief Medical Officer
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, announced today that Pablo Lapuerta, M.D. has joined the company as its chief medical officer, responsible for directing clinical development of Lexicon’s drug candidates from Phase 2 proof-of-concept through Phase 3 and approval. Dr. Lapuerta has 15 years of pharmaceutical industry experience in a variety of leadership roles in drug development, global medical affairs and outcomes research strategy across multiple therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular disease, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and neurology. Most recently, Dr. Lapuerta served as vice president at Bristol-Myers Squibb where he was responsible for global development of an Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate with the associated use of an innovative biomarker.
“Dr. Lapuerta’s extensive experience in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and medical affairs are especially valuable as we progress the four programs we currently have in mid-stage clinical studies,” said Dr. Arthur T. Sands, president and chief executive officer of Lexicon. “His breadth of knowledge in multiple therapeutic areas meshes well with Lexicon’s broad pipeline in drug discovery and development.”
Dr. Lapuerta obtained his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his training in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill followed by a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of California at Los Angeles in neuroscience. He served as assistant professor at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for several years. He has published more than 50 scientific articles on a wide range of topics including clinical trials, drug safety, epidemiology, health economics, and quality of care.
About Lexicon
Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease. Lexicon currently has four drug candidates in mid-stage development for diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, carcinoid syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, all of which were discovered by Lexicon’s research team. Lexicon has used its proprietary gene knockout technology to identify more than 100 promising drug targets. Lexicon has focused drug discovery efforts on these biologically-validated targets to create its extensive pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements, including statements relating to Lexicon’s growth and future operating results, discovery and development of products, strategic alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that are not historical facts or information. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations and involve risks, uncertainties and other important factors, specifically including those relating to Lexicon’s ability to successfully conduct preclinical and clinical development of its potential drug candidates, advance additional candidates into preclinical and clinical development, obtain necessary regulatory approvals, achieve its operational objectives, obtain patent protection for its discoveries and establish strategic alliances, as well as additional factors relating to manufacturing, intellectual property rights, and the therapeutic or commercial value of its drug candidates, that may cause Lexicon’s actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Information identifying such important factors is contained under “Risk Factors” in Lexicon’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lexicon undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Trading Idea – Endo Pharmaceuticals Broke Resistance, What to Expect?
New York, March 24th – Shares of Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. closed the trading session at $35.34 just above calculated resistance at $35.31 moving to what appears to be a new range, as this move will clearly raise the attention of momentum buyers.
Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical solutions company, focused on high-value branded products and specialty generics. The company delivers an innovative suite of complementary diagnostics, drugs, devices and clinical data to meet the needs of patients in areas such as pain, urology, oncology and endocrinology.
Endo’s stock was trading in a well defined range with support at $33.46 and resistance at $35.31, given that this range was broken traders will be closely monitoring the stock?s price action for clues of direction.
From a technical perspective it can be expected that previous resistance becomes support, as the new range gets defined, however, given that Endo’s stock is still near the broken resistance level, traders will be focusing on $35.31 to see if the stock holds the breakout without rolling over.
TDAP urges pharmaceutical cos to apply for WHO
KARACHI: Trade Develo-pment Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) asked pharmaceutical companies to apply for World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualification to avail huge export opportunities.
At a seminar country advisor, WHO said pre-qualification procedures and export opportunities would be opened for the pharmaceutical companies after qualifying WHO pre-qualification.
The WHO country advisor said due to the lack of WHO pre-qualification, national companies are unable to participate in $110 million bids, which are appropriated for drugs’ supply to Pakistan by the WHO.
There was a dire need of awareness about WHO pre-qualification program for national pharmaceutical industry as there is no single pharmaceutical company in Pakistan which is WHO pre-qualified.
It is observed national companies despite having high level of technical expertise are devoid of any international accreditations.
It was said WHO and PPMA would ensure by the end of 2015, there would be at least 10 WHO pre-qualified companies in Pakistan.
Director general TDAP, head pharma cell TDAP besides members Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association attended the event.