MONTREAL, April 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Haemacure Corporation , a Montreal-based specialty biotherapeutics company, announced today that Mr. Joseph A. Akers was appointed to its Board of Directors. Mr. Akers will also be a member of the Audit Committee.
Mr. Akers enjoyed a 30-year plus successful career at Bayer Healthcare, a renowned pharmaceutical multinational company. Mr. Akers was, until the beginning of 2007, President of the Bayer Healthcare Hematology/Cardiology Business Unit (formerly known as Biological Products Division).
“We are delighted to welcome Joe to Haemacure’s Board of Directors,” said Joseph Galli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “While at Bayer Healthcare, Joseph has acquired highly valuable experience in the development, production and marketing of plasma protein products that will certainly prove beneficial to Haemacure in all aspects of its new development plan.”
“Joining Haemacure’s Board of Directors at this stage, after a successful financing round last January and the announcement of a new development strategy, is certainly very exciting,” commented Mr. Akers. “I believe the strategy to exploit as much as possible of the protein content of its plasma-derived intermediates can prove very profitable for Haemacure.”
Mr. Akers started his career in the industry by joining Cutter Laboratories in California in 1970. In 1974, Bayer A.G. acquired Cutter, which later became Bayer’s Biological Products Division. Over the years, Mr. Akers held various senior and executive positions in corporate finance and administration at Bayer in Europe and the United States. In 1999, Mr. Akers was appointed Executive Vice-President and Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of Bayer Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pa. and in 2004 was appointed President of Bayer Healthcare’s Hematology/Cardiology Business Unit.
Investors Conferences
Haemacure also announced that Mr. Joseph Galli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Haemacure, will present at the five following investors conferences:
- Equities Spring Conference 2007, on April 20, 2007 at 7:30 am at The Yale Club, 50 Vanderbilt Ave., New York NY, - The Corporate Forum, on April 23, 2007 at noon at the New York Yacht Club, 37 West 44th Street, New York NY, - The Corporate Forum, on April 24, 2007 at noon at the Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin Street, Boston MA, - The Corporate Forum,on April 25, 2007 at 11:45 am at the Four Seasons Philadelphia, One Logan Square, Philadelphia PA and - Rodman & Renshaw Healthcare Conference on May 14 and 15, 2007, at Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel, Monte Carlo, Monaco. About Haemacure
Haemacure Corporation is a specialty biotherapeutics company focused on developing and commercializing premium human therapeutic proteins. Haemacure utilizes its proprietary plasma protein extraction technology to develop next generation products, including hemostats for surgical use. The lead product candidate, Hemaseel(TM)HMN, an all human fibrin sealant, is in late stage clinical development for biosurgical applications. The second product, an all-human thrombin, a component of fibrin sealant, also has applications as a stand-alone product in the expanding biosurgical market. Follow-on development will focus on biomaterial combinations and drug delivery in select therapeutic areas. Haemacure will develop partnerships to advance specialty proteins that it has recently identified in its plasma-derived intermediates to address unmet medical needs of patients. Haemacure also operates offices in Sarasota, Florida through a wholly-owned subsidiary. The Corporation is traded under stock symbol HAE on the TSX.
Forward-looking Statements
Certain of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown. Some examples of known risks are: the impact of general economic conditions, general conditions in the biotech industry, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which Haemacure Corporation does business, stock market volatility, fluctuations in costs, and changes to the competitive environment due to consolidation or otherwise. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. Haemacure Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update these statements.
Haemacure Corporation
CONTACT: Haemacure Corporation: Joseph Galli, Chairman and CEO, (514)990-7074
