LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing topically administered products using its proprietary transdermal delivery platform, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Joachim P.H. Schupp, MD as Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Schupp has almost 25 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He has achieved the professional distinction of leading international project teams that have brought several drugs through the development and the regulatory process and on to the market globally.
Dr. Schupp spent 19 years with Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland where he held various positions in clinical development and global project management. Dr. Schupp began his pharmaceutical career at Ciba-Geigy, now Novartis, in 1985 where he was appointed to lead international clinical project teams to discover new non steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with improved gastrointestinal tolerability. He provided medical support for the life-cycle management of Ciba-Geigy’s lead product Voltaren (diclofenac) and designed and supervised large multinational clinical trials for several indications of inflammation and pain.
“Dr. Schupp’s extensive pharmaceutical industry experience is a tremendous asset to Transdel and we are pleased to welcome him to our senior management team,” stated Dr. Juliet Singh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transdel Pharmaceuticals. “In particular, his experience in bringing drugs to market in the areas of pain and inflammation are directly relevant to our ongoing clinical development program. Dr. Schupp provided great value and guidance for the successful completion of our Phase 3 study of our lead topical pain drug, Ketotransdel(R). He joins Transdel full-time at this important juncture as we continue to advance our Ketotransdel program through the regulatory process. Given his broad experience in multiple therapeutic areas, we look forward to his continuing contributions to our lead program, as well as to other development opportunities, which we intend to pursue with our proprietary transdermal platform technology.”
His international team leadership role is credited for the market approval of several drugs, including Femara(R) in the United States (U.S.) and European Union (EU) for first line and post operative breast cancer; Apligraf(R), the first human skin equivalent, in the U.S., Canada and Switzerland for venous and diabetic ulcers; and for the international development and regulatory approval of Exjade(R), the first oral iron chelator approved for transfusional hemosiderosis. Dr. Schupp received several prestigious awards at Ciba-Geigy and Novartis for his team leadership contributions.
Most recently, Dr. Schupp has worked as an Executive Consultant for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He held positions as Vice President of Medical Affairs at Adventrx Pharmaceuticals from 2006 to 2008 and Vice President of Clinical Data Services at ProSanos Corporation from 2004 to 2006. Dr. Schupp received his M.D. from the Free University of Berlin in Germany and he served on the faculty at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Both Dr. Singh and Dr. Schupp have during the course of their careers provided leadership in bringing several drugs through the regulatory process and on to the market globally. Specifically, Dr. Singh was involved in bringing BOTOX(R) and recombinant factor VIII to the market.
About Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing non-invasive, topically delivered products. The Company’s innovative-patented Transdel(TM) cream formulation technology is designed to facilitate the effective penetration of a variety of products through the tough skin barrier. Ketotransdel(R), the Company’s lead pain product, has successfully completed a Phase 3 clinical trial and utilizes the Transdel technology to deliver the active drug, ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug through the skin directly into the underlying tissues where the drug exerts its well-known anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The Company intends to leverage its Transdel(TM) platform technology to expand and create a portfolio of topical products for a variety of indications. The Company is actively pursuing partnerships with companies to expand its product portfolio for pharmaceutical and cosmetic/cosmeceutical products. In June 2009, the Company announced that they entered into a license agreement with JH Direct, LLC for the exclusive worldwide rights to Transdel’s anti-cellulite cosmeceutical product which utilizes the Company’s Transdel(TM) technology. For more information, please visit http://www.transdelpharma.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
The Company cautions you that the statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These include statements regarding: the Company’s interpretation of the results of its Phase 3 clinical trial for Ketotransdel((R)); the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval to market Ketotransdel; and the Company’s ability to complete additional development activities for products utilizing its proprietary transdermal delivery platform. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business, including, without limitation: the outcome of the final analyses of the data from the Phase 3 clinical trial may vary from the Company’s initial conclusions; the FDA may not agree with the Company’s interpretation of such results or may challenge the adequacy of the Company’s clinical trial design or the execution of the clinical trial; the FDA may continue to require the Company to complete additional clinical trials for Ketotransdel((R)) before the Company can submit a 505(b)2 NDA application; the results of any future clinical trials may not be favorable and the Company may never receive regulatory approval for Ketotransdel((R)); and the Company’s current need to raise additional funding to complete its product development plans. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. Such documents may be read free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
SOURCE Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CONTACT: John Lomoro, CFO, Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
+1-858-457-5300, johnl@transdelpharma.com; or investors, Rhonda Chiger, Rx
Communications Group, LLC, +1-917-322-2569, rchiger@rxir.com
Web site: http://www.transdelpharma.com/
