WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- VWR International, a leader in the global research laboratory industry, today announced the appointments of Robert L. Barchi, M.D., Ph.D, and Alan W. Dunton, M.D., to the company’s Board of Directors. Their appointments reinforce VWR’s commitment to the life sciences market and expand the company’s Board of Directors from eleven members to thirteen.
James W. Rogers, VWR’s Chairman of the Board, commented, “We are very pleased to announce the additions of Dr. Barchi and Dr. Dunton to the VWR International Board of Directors. Both Bob and Alan are very talented individuals with impressive credentials and complementary experience, skills and knowledge of the global laboratory research market space. We have definitely enhanced our ability to anticipate and adapt to a rapidly changing competitive landscape.”
Dr. Barchi, 59, has served as President of Thomas Jefferson University since September 2004. Prior to that, Dr. Barchi was Provost of the University of Pennsylvania (1999-2004), where he served in various capacities at the University for over 30 years. Before serving as Provost he was the Chair of the University’s Department of Neurology and was founding Chair of the University’s Department of Neuroscience. Dr. Barchi also served as the Director of the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences for more than 12 years. In addition to his clinical and administrative responsibilities, Dr. Barchi has published extensively in the field of ion channel research, and has been elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Barchi has been a member of the Board of Covance, Inc. , a contract research organization, since October 2003.
Dr. Barchi received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Georgetown University, as well as Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dunton, 51, is a recognized expert in prescription and drug development and clinical research. His 20 years of experience have been marked by the development and approval of the prescription drugs Levaquin(R), TOPAMAX(R), Reminyl(R), Regranex(R), and Risperdal(R) as well the successful OTC product, Aleve(R). He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Activbiotics, Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company. Prior to joining Activbiotics he served as President and CEO of privately-held Metaphore Pharmaceuticals, and before joining Metaphore was the President and Managing Director of the Janssen Research Foundation, a Johnson & Johnson company. He was a member of the Group Operating Committee of the J&J Pharmaceutical Group, a member of the Board of Directors of Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V., and Chairman of Janssen-Cilag, International. Dr. Dunton is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Rosa Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Dunton received his Medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine in 1980.
About VWR International, Inc.
VWR International is a leader in the global research laboratory industry with worldwide sales of $3.0 billion US dollars. VWR’s business is highly diversified across a spectrum of products and services, customer groups and geography. The company offers more than 1,200,000 products, from more than 2,500 manufacturers, to over 250,000 customers throughout North America and Europe. VWR’s primary customers work in the pharmaceutical, life science, chemical, technology, food processing and consumer product industries. Other important customers include universities and research institutes; governmental agencies; environmental testing organizations; and primary and secondary schools. VWR International affiliates operate in 20 countries and employ approximately 6,100 people. The company’s mission is to deliver excellence in the distribution of scientific supplies. The VWR International Group is headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
VWR and design are trademarks of VWR International, Inc.
VWR International, Inc.
CONTACT: Robin Gervasoni of VWR International, Inc., +1-610-430-7258, orfax, +1-610-719-7099, or robin_gervasoni@vwr.com
