TARRYTOWN, N.Y., May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ARMGO Pharma Inc., has appointed Dr. Sapan Shah as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Shah joins ARMGO from Shionogi Inc., where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2002. In addition to his role as CEO, Dr. Shah will also join ARMGO Pharma’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Shah commented: “I am very excited to be joining an organization of such high caliber as ARMGO Pharma Inc. The company has made tremendous progress in identifying novel small molecule stabilizers of intra-cellular ryanodine receptor/calcium release channels, which have the unique potential to meet significant unmet medical needs for cardiovascular, muscular and neurological conditions. I look forward to supporting the progress of ARMGO’s lead molecule currently undergoing Phase 2a clinical studies in Europe, as well as leading the company through its next stage of advancement in the US and Japan.”
Dr. Paul Marks, Chair of the Board of Directors of ARMGO Pharma commented: “We are very pleased to have Dr. Shah join the ARMGO team as CEO. His background and experience in business building, product development and commercialization will be a significant asset to ARMGO as we seek to further establish the company’s operations, advance the lead clinical stage candidate and define the company’s future strategy.”
Prior to joining ARMGO Pharma Inc., Dr. Shah served as President and CEO of Shionogi Inc., where he launched the US pharmaceutical business of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., growing the organization from a small team focused on advancing a single clinical stage program, to a fully integrated clinical development and commercial stage entity with over 500 employees and 20 marketed products. Prior to Shionogi, Dr. Shah was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where he advised pharmaceutical and biotech clients on a wide range of R&D, commercial and corporate strategy matters. Dr. Shah holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Mathematics, Biochemistry and Integrated Science from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
About ARMGO Pharma Inc.
ARMGO Pharma, Inc., is a privately held biopharmaceutical company dedicated to applying original, targeted science to the discovery and development of novel small-molecule therapeutics to treat debilitating cardiac, muscular, and neurological disorders. The company’s proprietary drugs, known as “rycals,” are a new class of oral agents that act on a novel therapeutic target, the ryanodine receptor/calcium release channel (RyR) located on the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum of the cell. Rycals act to stabilize these channels and repair the calcium leak caused by stress associated with chronic diseases. It is hypothesized that the leak in the RyR channels, if left untreated, may contribute to disorders affecting the heart, skeletal muscle, and the brain. ARMGO Pharma Inc., has been awarded an exclusive, worldwide license from Columbia University for its ryanodine receptor technology. In collaboration with its development partner Servier, ARMGO began Phase 2a trials in Europe with its lead candidate for cardiac indications in March 2010.
For more information, visit www.armgo.com.
ARMGO Pharma Inc. 777 Old Saw Mill River Road Tarrytown, NY 10591 P: 914-425-0000 F: 914-425-0032
