SAN DIEGO, JULY 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products based on the extracellular matrix, today announced that Walter Bee, PhD has been named Vice President, Preclinical Development. Dr. Bee will help drive the Company’s pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics activities and will report directly to Gregory Frost, PhD, Halozyme’s Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer.
Additionally, earlier this year, the Company promoted Michael Haller, PhD from his previous position as Senior Director of Corporate Development and Portfolio Management. He now holds the title of Vice President, Alliance Management and Portfolio Development reporting directly to Robert Little, Halozyme’s Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Dr. Haller is responsible for managing key alliances, including execution of partnered programs for Enhanze Technology, as well as overseeing the prioritization, planning, and execution of internal programs within Halozyme’s portfolio.
“Last month, we articulated Halozyme’s goal to become the best ‘Matrix company’ in the world, through the execution of our Enable, Improve, and Innovate programs that are focused on developing and commercializing products based on the extracellular matrix. The key to Halozyme’s ongoing and future success in achieving its stated business objectives is its ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain outstanding people,” said Jonathan Lim, MD, Halozyme’s President and CEO. “The addition of Walter Bee to the R&D team positions us well in terms of developing potentially better oncology drugs by co-formulating them with rHuPH20 as part of our Improve program, and of developing new molecular entities targeting the extracellular matrix in oncology and dermatology as part of our Innovate program. Michael’s increased scope of responsibilities will help ensure our ability to execute our best-in- class partnerships with Roche for Enhanze Technology and Baxter for Hylenex, as part of our Enable program.”
Dr. Bee was previously Director of Toxicology, Pathology and Laboratory Animal Medicine at Johnson & Johnson (J&J), where he was responsible for global preclinical development on the West Coast. Prior to this role, Dr. Bee was Director of Toxicology at Scios, Inc., from 2002 to 2006. At Scios/J&J, Dr. Bee supported toxicology/pathology of the portfolio, compound transitions, and life cycle management of drugs. He helped execute preclinical plans, conduct non-clinical safety/toxicology studies, direct developmental PK/ADME and bioanalytical plans, and was actively involved in the design and roll-out of the Global Preclinical Development model at J&J as a member of the Global Preclinical Leadership Team. Dr. Bee represented Preclinical Development at scientific congresses, and at meetings with investigators, potential pharmaceutical company license partners, and regulatory authorities. He has also held significant positions at a number of leading contract research organizations and biopharmaceutical companies, including Sierra Biomedical (a Charles River Company), SNBL USA, CoCensys and Covance, where he introduced innovative pharmacological and toxicological methods. Dr. Bee has authored numerous scientific publications and book chapters reflecting his experience with both small and large molecules, across all phases of preclinical development, including regulatory filings. Dr. Bee earned both his bachelor’s degree in biology and his PhD from the University of Munster, Germany.
Dr. Haller has directed Halozyme’s portfolio management process and program prioritization. He has been responsible for in-licensing compounds and leading internal project teams to accomplish company milestones, including the acceptance of the Chemophase IND in 2005. Additionally, he has managed Halozyme’s alliances, providing leadership on a broad variety of activities ranging from overall strategy to sales, marketing, and clinical strategy. Dr. Haller joined Halozyme in 2004 from McKinsey & Company, where he was a management consultant focusing on complex health care issues for Fortune 500 companies involved in branded & generic pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and payor/provider activities. He has helped clients with their most critical business strategy, research & development, and sales & marketing functions. Dr. Haller has published many articles in peer-reviewed journals, has presented at numerous scientific conferences, and is a co-inventor on multiple patents. Dr. Haller earned his BS with honors from The Johns Hopkins University, his MS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, and his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
About Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.
Halozyme is a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products based on the extracellular matrix for the drug delivery, oncology, and dermatology markets. The company’s portfolio of products is based on intellectual property covering the family of human enzymes known as hyaluronidases. The company’s Enhanze(TM) Technology is a novel drug delivery platform designed to increase the absorption and dispersion of biologics. In addition, the company has received FDA approval for two products: Cumulase(R) and Hylenex, for use as an adjuvant to increase the absorption and dispersion of other injected drugs and fluids. The Company also has a number of different enzymes in its portfolio that are targeting significant areas of unmet need.
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In addition to historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, statements relating to the roles of certain employees and the effect of those employees upon company operations) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are also identified through use of the words “believe,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including regulatory approval requirements and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the company’s reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Halozyme Contact Investor Relations Contact David A. Ramsay Don Markley Chief Financial Officer Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates (858) 794-8881 (310) 691-7100 dramsay@halozyme.comdmarkley@lhai.com Media Contacts Karen Sparks / Joleen Schultz Mentus (858) 455-5500, x275/x215 karen@mentus.comjschultz@mentus.com
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.
CONTACT: David A. Ramsay, Chief Financial Officer of HalozymeTherapeutics, Inc., +1-858-794-8881, dramsay@halozyme.com; InvestorRelations: Don Markley of Lippert\Heilshorn & Associates, +1-310-691-7100,dmarkley@lhai.com; Media: Karen Sparks, +1-858-455-5500, x275,karen@mentus.com, or Joleen Schultz, +1-858-455-5500, x215,jschultz@mentus.com, both of Mentus
Web site: http://www.halozyme.com/
