BASEL, SWITZERLAND--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 27, 2009 -- Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (Swiss:BSLN.SW - News) (Other OTC:BPMUF.PK - News) announces that it will focus resources on commercialization and high priority programs. Basilea plans to expand its world-wide organization to fully exploit the value of its key brands Toctino® and ZEFTERA(TM)/Zevtera(TM).
The initiative optimizes the value of Basilea’s key products Toctino® and ZEFTERA(TM)/Zevtera(TM) and further focuses on the company’s value driving high priority programs.
Basilea plans to add approximately one-hundred positions to its world-wide organization. The additional positions will support the launch and commercialization of Toctino® and ZEFTERA(TM)/Zevtera(TM) internationally and the development of Basilea’s phase III programs. The company intends to reduce approximately thirty positions at its headquarters that are mainly involved in research programs of lower priority and create seventeen new positions in Switzerland and a total of approximately one-hundred new positions world-wide. The company continues to focus on bringing its innovative later-stage research programs rapidly into the clinic. The company will also reduce operations in its U.S. organization as a result of the ZEFTERA(TM) U.S. regulatory delay. The consultation process with headquarter employees has been initiated.
“With this action we are realigning our resources on the company’s priorities and creating new job opportunities to drive value for our stakeholders,” said Dr. Anthony Man, CEO of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.
Basilea names Dr. Laurenz Kellenberger as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and member of the Executive Committee. Dr. Kellenberger will succeed Prof. Jutta Heim who is leaving the company. Dr. Anthony Man commented, “We thank Jutta Heim for her contribution to Basilea’s research organization over the past few years. Under her leadership Basilea has moved highly innovative programs toward the clinic in the anti-infective and oncology areas. We have appointed as CSO Dr. Laurenz Kellenberger, one of Basilea’s founding scientists and previous Head of Chemistry, who is ideally qualified to lead the next stage of Basilea’s research efforts.”
About Basilea
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (Swiss:BSLN.SW - News). Basilea’s integrated research and development operations are currently focused on new antibacterial, antifungal and oncology agents to fight drug resistance and on the development of dermatology drugs. Basilea’s products are targeted to satisfy high medical and patient needs in the hospital and specialty care setting. The company owns a diversified portfolio including two commercialized drugs (alitretinoin, ceftobiprole) and one investigational drug in phase III (isavuconazole). Toctino® (alitretinoin) is marketed in the United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany and is approved in Finland and France. Alitretinoin has been recommended for approval in six additional EU Member States and is under regulatory review in Canada and Switzerland. Furthermore a phase III clinical trial on alitretinoin for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema is ongoing in the U.S. Ceftobiprole is marketed in Canada under the brand name ZEFTERA(TM) and in Switzerland under Zevtera(TM). It received a positive opinion from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. The company has submitted marketing applications for ceftobiprole in the U.S. and several other countries. The company has set up commercial organizations in UK, Denmark, Germany and Canada, while it is building sales and marketing organizations in other countries to commercialize alitretinoin and to co-promote ceftobiprole, subject to approval.
Ceftobiprole (ZEFTERA(TM)/Zevtera(TM)) is being developed through an exclusive worldwide collaboration between Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. and Cilag GmbH International. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. has exercised its option to co-promote ceftobiprole in the U.S., in Canada and in the major European markets together with Ortho-McNeil, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the U.S. and the respective Janssen-Cilag companies in Europe. Basilea maintains an option to co-promote the drug in Japan and China.
Disclaimer
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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