ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Pfizer's loss of some top talent, including Lipitor pioneer Dr. Bob Sliskovic, is the gain of two Michigan companies teaming to help speed research to fight bone diseases such as multiple myeloma, metastatic bone disease, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
Velcura Therapeutics President and CEO Michael W. Long, PhD, announced his biotechnology company will work with Dr. Sliskovic and International Discovery Sourcing Consultants, LLC (IDSC), on the design and sourcing of medicinal chemistry data for its second generation and new bone therapy molecules. "IDSC brings added drug discovery leadership, experienced vendors and project managers as we begin our clinical trial this year for VEL-0230, a new drug that stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone loss," said Long.
"We offer in-depth support for scientific programs and also welcome a long-term partnership with firms like Velcura that are outsourcing," said IDSC President and CEO Mark Creswell. "The pharmaceutical industry experts joining us from Pfizer have 17-30 years of experience; we have chaired multiple projects that moved drug candidates into the clinic," he added. "Bob Sliskovic, for example, was responsible for the development of some 30 clinical candidates, including Lipitor."
Dr. Sliskovic, who was featured in the Dec. 11, 2007 Wall Street Journal, now dreams of being involved in another blockbuster like Lipitor. The work that he is doing now with IDSC could help Velcura to develop a treatment to help millions of individuals suffering from bone diseases like Osteoporosis, which is second to heart disease as a world health problem.
About Velcura Therapeutics(R), Inc.
Velcura Therapeutics Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Velcura's research focus is to better understand human bone disease and to discover novel therapeutics that restore bone health. Velcura develops highly differentiated therapies for bone disease; specifically, dual-acting therapies that demonstrate both anabolic bone-building and anti- bone-loss activities in a single molecule. Velcura uses its patented platform technologies to discover and optimize compounds that both simulate and inhibit bone growth. Velcura's lead compound, VEL-0230 was identified using these bone assays and will begin the first in-man clinical trials this month after Velcura recently completed a successful Investigational New Drug application (IND) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More information is at www.velcura.com
About International Discovery Sourcing Consultants (IDSC)
International Discovery Sourcing Consultants is an innovative pharmaceutical drug discovery and development service provider based in Chelsea, Michigan. IDSC was formed in 2007 by a former Pfizer director Mark Creswell who has more than 20 years experience including leading a Big Pharma Discovery Chemistry Outsourcing Program. IDSC services include Drug Discovery Consulting, Interim Leadership and Project Management as well as Outsourcing Project Management, Outsourcing Consulting, Raw Material Sourcing, and Harmonized Tariff Code Assignment. For more information visit www.idscbiotechnetwork.com .
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=49215
CONTACT: Cindy Orlandi, APR, ABC, of Velcura Therapeutics Inc.,
+1-734-250-2619, +1-734-973-1000, corlandi@velcura.com
Web site: http://www.velcura.com/
http://www.idscbiotechnetwork.com/
