— Dr. Morris brings to the Company extensive experience
leading the successful development and registration of novel anticancer
compounds —
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
ImmunoGen,
Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN), a biotechnology company that develops
anticancer therapeutics using its Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP)
technology and antibody expertise, today announced the appointment of
Charles Morris, MB, ChB, MRCP as Executive Vice President and Chief
Development Officer, effective today. Dr. Morris will be responsible for
leading all aspects of product development, including regulatory, at
ImmunoGen. He reports to Daniel Junius, President and Chief Executive
Officer.
"Charlie has extensive experience leading the strategic development and
registration of novel oncology compounds — expertise essential to
ImmunoGen with our advancing and expanding product pipeline," commented
Mr. Junius. "We now have three wholly owned clinical-stage compounds,
expect to advance our fourth product candidate into the clinic in 2013,
and have additional highly promising compounds behind these in our
pipeline. We are excited to have Charlie joining ImmunoGen at this
important time in our transition to being a product development company."
Dr. Morris brings to ImmunoGen nearly twenty years of experience in the
development of anticancer compounds, including experience with
registration clinical trials, regulatory approvals, pharmacovigilance,
and medical affairs support for marketed products. Prior to joining
ImmunoGen, he was the executive vice president and chief medical officer
at Allos Therapeutics, Inc., where he led the company's clinical
development functions including clinical operations, regulatory, and
pharmacovigilance. Prior to joining Allos in 2010, Dr. Morris was vice
president worldwide clinical research at Cephalon, Inc., where he
contributed significantly to the company achieving its first approved
oncology drug, Treanda® (bendamustine). Prior to joining Cephalon in
2007, Dr. Morris was with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (formerly Zeneca
Pharmaceuticals), serving most recently as vice president, clinical
development projects, oncology. Dr. Morris held a number of leadership
roles during his more than ten years with AstraZeneca, including
managing the clinical development of all late-stage pipeline and
marketed oncology products.
Dr. Morris holds Degrees of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery,
and Bachelor of Medical Science in Clinical Pharmacology and
Therapeutics from the Sheffield University Medical School, UK, and is a
member of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
About ImmunoGen's Wholly Owned Product Candidates
The Company currently has three wholly owned anticancer compounds in
clinical testing — IMGN901, in Phase II testing for the treatment of
small-cell lung cancer; IMGN853, in Phase I testing for the treatment of
ovarian, lung, and other cancers that over-express folate receptor 1;
and IMGN529, in Phase I testing for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma. ImmunoGen intends to use the findings from these clinical
trials to define the registration paths for these compounds. The Company
also expects to advance a fourth compound into the clinic in 2013.
About ImmunoGen, Inc.
ImmunoGen, Inc. develops targeted anticancer therapeutics using its
Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology together with the Company's
expertise in monoclonal antibodies and tumor biology. A TAP compound
uses a tumor-targeting monoclonal antibody to deliver one of ImmunoGen's
purpose-developed cancer-killing agents specifically to tumor cells. Ten
TAP compounds are now in clinical testing, of which three are wholly
owned by the Company. Marketing applications for trastuzumab emtansine
(T-DM1), the most advanced compound using ImmunoGen's TAP technology,
are under review in the US and Europe. Roche is developing this compound
globally under an agreement between ImmunoGen and Genentech, a member of
the Roche Group. More information about ImmunoGen can be found at www.immunogen.com.
This press release includes forward-looking statements. For these
statements, ImmunoGen claims the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. It should be noted that there are risks and
uncertainties related to the development of novel anticancer products,
including risks related to preclinical and clinical studies, their
timings and results. A review of these risks can be found in ImmunoGen's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 and
other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For Investors:
ImmunoGen, Inc.
Carol Hausner, 781-895-0600
Executive
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
info@immunogen.com
or
For
Media:
The Yates Network
Barbara Yates, 781-258-6153
Source: ImmunoGen, Inc.
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