KANSAS CITY, Kan., June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aratana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETX), a pet therapeutics company focused on the licensing, development and commercialization of innovative biopharmaceutical products for cats, dogs and other companion animals, today announced the appointment of former Cephalon, Inc., executive Robert P. Roche, Jr. to its Board of Directors. Mr. Roche has extensive operational and product launch expertise working for leading pharmaceutical companies.
Jay Lichter, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board of Aratana Therapeutics, stated, “We are delighted to have Mr. Roche join our Board, where he will also serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Given his executive and board leadership expertise in the global pharmaceutical industry and his experience launching and commercializing new products, we believe his insight and guidance will be invaluable to Aratana.”
Mr. Roche remarked, “I am pleased to join Aratana during this period of rapid growth, as the company advances toward commercialization of its first products. I look forward to leveraging my background and expertise across Aratana’s deep pipeline of novel pet therapeutic candidates.”
Mr. Roche is the founder of Robert Roche Associates, LLC, a consulting firm providing guidance to pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. From 1995 to 2010, Mr. Roche worked for Cephalon, Inc., serving most recently as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Pharmaceutical Operations since 2005. Prior to Cephalon, Mr. Roche was Director and Vice President, Worldwide Strategic Product Development for SmithKline Beecham’s central nervous system and gastrointestinal products business. In addition to serving as managing director of SmithKline’s pharmaceutical operations in the Philippines, Mr. Roche held senior marketing positions in Canada and Spain and had product-planning responsibilities for SmithKline in Latin America. Mr. Roche serves as a Director of Antares Pharma, Inc., a publicly traded specialty pharmaceutical company, and is currently a member of its Governance and Nominating Committee and Audit Committee. Mr. Roche is also a Director of Civitas Therapeutics, a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company. Mr. Roche earned his B.A. from Colgate University and his M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
About Aratana Therapeutics
Aratana Therapeutics is a pet therapeutics company focused on licensing, developing and commercializing innovative biopharmaceutical products for cats, dogs and other companion animals. Aratana believes that it can leverage the investment in the human biopharmaceutical industry to bring therapeutics to pets in a capital and time efficient manner. The company’s pipeline includes more than fifteen therapeutic candidates targeting pain, inappetence, cancer, viral diseases, allergy and other serious medical conditions. Aratana believes the development and commercialization of these therapeutics will permit veterinarians and pet owners to manage pets’ medical needs safely and effectively, resulting in longer and improved quality of life for pets. For more information, please visit www.aratana.com.
Contacts:
For Investor Inquiries:
Craig Tooman
Chief Financial Officer
ctooman@aratana.com; (913) 951-2132
For Media Inquiries:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Andrew Mielach (media)
amielach@tiberend.com; (212) 375-2694
SOURCE Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.
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