PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmasset, Inc. appointed Michael D. Rogers, PhD, as its first Chief Development Officer, responsible for coordinating the global development activities for all of Pharmasset’s drug programs. Dr. Rogers joins Pharmasset from GlaxoSmithKline, where he most recently served as Vice President, Division of Viral Diseases, responsible for antiviral discovery activities directed toward human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) indications.
Dr. Rogers has over 23 years of industry experience and has participated in all phases of antiviral and anti-infective drug development, including discovery, preclinical development, and phase 1, 2, 3 and 3b/4 clinical development programs. During his career, he has led multinational development teams from discovery to marketing and has a successful product development record, including Lexiva(R) and the approvals for Agenerase(R), Mepron(R) and Malarone(R).
“We are very pleased to have Mike join us,” stated Schaefer Price, Pharmasset’s President & CEO. “His experience and demonstrated leadership will be of great benefit to our product development teams.”
Dr. Rogers received his doctorate in medical parasitology and a Master of Public Health degree in medical microbiology from the University of North Carolina. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical microbiology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
About Pharmasset
Pharmasset is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing novel drugs to treat viral infections. Pharmasset’s primary focus is on the development of oral therapeutics for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Pharmasset is currently developing three product candidates. Clevudine, for the treatment of chronic HBV infection, is enrolling Phase 3 clinical trials for registration in the Americas and Europe. Clevudine is already approved for HBV in South Korea and marketed by Bukwang Pharmaceuticals in South Korea under the brand name Levovir. R7128, an oral treatment for chronic HCV infection, is enrolling a 28-day Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with Pegasys(R) and Copegus(R) through a strategic collaboration with Roche. Racivir, which is being developed for the treatment of HIV in combination with other approved HIV drugs, has completed a Phase 2 clinical trial.
Pegasys(R) and Copegus(R) are registered trademarks of Roche.
Lexiva(R), Agenerase(R), Mepron(R) and Malarone(R) are registered trademarks of GlaxoSmithKline.
alan.roemer@pharmasset.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Pharmasset “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding our business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation the risk that our collaboration with Roche will not continue or will not be successful, the risk that the on-going or anticipated clinical trials for any one or more of our product candidates will not be successful or will not provide meaningful data and the risk that any one or more of our product candidates will not be successfully developed and commercialized. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled “Risk Factors” and discussions of potential risks and uncertainties in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: Alan Roemer, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate
Communications of Pharmasset, Inc., +1-609-613-4125,
alan.roemer@pharmasset.com
Web site: http://www.pharmasset.com/
