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BioVex Press Releases

BIOVEX APPOINTS GENZYME EXECUTIVE. JAN VAN HEEK, AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Woburn, MA, October 25th, 2007

BioVex Inc, a biotechnology company developing clinical stage treatments for cancer and the prevention of infectious disease, announced today that it has appointed Jan Van Heek, age 58, as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Mr van Heek is employed as a Senior Advisor to the CEO and the senior management team of Genzyme Corporation. Jan van Heek joined Genzyme in 1991 and has been responsible for building the Company’s worldwide therapeutics, surgical and genetic testing businesses. He established Genzyme's European offices in the early 1990's before moving to the US to head the Company’s therapeutics division. Mr van Heek has played a key role in building Genzyme's broad portfolio of businesses and manufacturing infrastructure worldwide. Prior to Genzyme, Mr van Heek held various management positions at Baxter Healthcare Corporation in Europe and the U.S. At Baxter, his last position was as vice president/general manager of the global Fenwal Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation based in Deerfield, Illinois. Mr van Heek is a board member of Viacell Corporation, Zelos Corporation and PanGenetics BV. Mr van Heek received a M.B.A. from St. Gallen University, Switzerland and an executive degree from Stanford Business School, California.

Philip Astley-Sparke, President & CEO of BioVex Inc, said:
“Jan’s appointment brings to the Board nearly two decades of experience in managing the commercial and manufacturing operations of one the world’s pre eminent biotechnology companies.”

Jan Van Heek, Chairman of BioVex Inc, said:
“I am excited to be joining BioVex at a transformational time in its development as it scales up its manufacturing operations to produce launch grade material. I look forward to working with the management team, the Board and the Company’s investors in implementing the Company’s substantial growth plans over the next year and beyond”.

About BioVex

BioVex is a privately held biotechnology Company based in Woburn. MA.  The Company is developing a new class of potent biologics for the treatment of cancer and prevention of infectious disease.

BioVex's lead cancer program, OncoVEXGM-CSF, is an oncolytic virus that selectively destroys tumor cells accompanied by the induction of a systemic immune response.  OncoVEXGM-CSF is currently completing a Phase II clinical trial for melanoma and Phase I/II clinical trials for head & neck cancer and pancreatic cancer. Preliminary data from these studies has been very encouraging demonstrating OncoVEXGM-CSF has the potential to treat both local and metastatic disease. The Company is currently preparing for an initial registration study in melanoma where multiple responses have been demonstrated in an ongoing Phase II trial testing OncoVEXGM-CSF as stand alone therapy in patients with un-resectable stage IIIc and stage IV metastatic disease.

The Company's second program is a vaccine for genital herpes, ImmunoVEXHSV2, which provides complete protection in animal models of the disease. A Phase I study with ImmunoVEXHSV2 is scheduled to initiate later this year.

Inquiries:

Philip Astley-Sparke
BioVex Inc

President & CEO
Tel: +1 781 376 4913
pastleysparke@biovex.com

Jonathan Birt
FD Life Sciences

Tel: 212-850-5634
jonathan.birt@fd.com

 

 

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