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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