The News

Diatos strengthens management team with the appointment of Chief Medical Officer and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer

09/10/2006

Paris, France October 9, 2006: Diatos SA, an international biopharmaceutical company focusing on the research, development and commercialization of targeted anti-cancer drugs, announces that Dr Jamal Gasmi has been appointed Chief Medical Officer and Dr James Cowburn has been appointed Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, both reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Tchelingerian.

Dr Gasmi has 20 years experience in clinical development in oncology/haematology acquired both in the pharmaceutical industry and academic cancer research centers. Before joining Diatos, Dr Gasmi was International Medical Leader, Oncology, at Roche in Basel, Switzerland, where he oversaw the development of Herceptin® (trastuzumab), providing medical input in the development and implementation of strategic plans. Prior to that, he spent eight years at the Pierre Fabre laboratory (France) in a similar position with full responsibility for the corporate clinical development and implementation of Navelbine® (vinorelbine) worldwide. Between 1990 and 1998, Dr Gasmi was a consultant in medical oncology at the Paris-based Institut Gustave Roussy and at Hôpitaux de Paris. In this role, Dr Gasmi led teams of oncologists, was head of teaching, training and clinical research activities and was also involved as the investigator or co-investigator in multi centric, multinational clinical trials from Phase I to Phase III in non-small cell lung, breast, colorectal, ovary, head & neck cancers as well as lymphoma. Upon completing his medical training at Université Paris VI, Dr Gasmi had begun his career in France in internal medicine, then in cancer research teams at Institut Gustave Roussy (1986-1989) where he coordinated cancer research projects and thereafter at London Medical Hospital College, UK, until 1990. Dr Gasmi is a medical doctor and also has a postgraduate degree in immunology/medical oncology, a Masters degree in pharmaco-oncology as well as a European board certification in medical oncology. He has been an active member of ASCO and ESMO for over 16 years and is a reviewer of various scientific journals and the author/co-author of more than 65 scientific publications.

Dr Cowburn has over 16 years experience gained in several key sales and marketing management positions in oncology pharmaceuticals at Schering Plough, NeXstar (now part of Gilead) and Roche. He was most recently the Global Product Director Oncology at Zeneus Pharma (now part of Cephalon Inc., USA), UK, responsible for the global re-launch and development of Myocet® (liposomal doxorubicin) in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, NHL and other tumors. Dr Cowburn started his career by holding several oncology sales & marketing positions at Roche and Schering-Plough between 1990 and 1997. Dr Cowburn was then employed by NeXstar (Gilead) until 2003 in a variety of roles in strategic oncology marketing, business development and affiliate marketing and sales across their haemato-oncology portfolio, including DaunoXome® which was acquired by Diatos from Gilead in March 2006. Dr Cowburn was also responsible for introducing Gilead’s antiviral products into the UK as well as building and growing the company’s marketing, trai ing, pricing, distribution and reimbursement programs in readiness for entry into the HIV market. After leaving Gilead, Dr Cowburn was a consultant to Roche leading a special primary care project team to revitalize the sales of a lead brand.

John Tchelingerian, President and CEO of Diatos, commented: “These two key appointments will add substantial medical and commercialization expertise to Diatos at the right moment to execute our ambitious plans for the upcoming marketing of our product DaunoXome® and moving forward the clinical development of our lead product candidates DTS-301 and DTS-201. I am pleased to welcome Jamal and James to Diatos and trust their expertise and experience will be an important asset as we continue to grow and reinforce our oncology-focused business.“ 

Notes to Editors:

About Diatos

Diatos is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative anti-cancer drugs with enhanced tumor targeting or improved biodistribution. Diatos is expanding its portfolio of drug candidates with new compounds that utilize its Vectocell® delivery technology or its Tumor-Selective Prodrug (TSP) technology as well as with in-licensed candidate and marketed cancer therapies. Diatos is headquartered in Paris, France and operates subsidiaries in Belgium and the United States of America. 

The Diatos logo and Vectocell® are registered trademarks of Diatos SA.

 
About Diatos’ Portfolio

> DaunoXome®, a liposomal formulation of widely used cancer drug daunorubicin, improves the biodistribution of daunorubicin and fosters its sustained release in the blood, which potentially allows the administration of higher doses than with non-liposomal formulations. DaunoXome is marketed in Kaposi’s sarcoma and under review in acute leukaemia in Europe.

> DTS-301, a paclitaxel formulation in polymer gel ReGel®, releases paclitaxel, a widely used cancer drug, directly to the tumor site with a view to avoiding all systemic adverse side effects. DTS-301 is in Phase II clinical studies.

> DTS-201, a doxorubicin prodrug, increases the concentration of doxorubicin, a widely used cancer drug, at the tumor site by means of a reactivation mechanism specific to the tumor environment. DTS-201 shares key biological principles with Diatos’ TSP technology and is in Phase I clinical studies.

> DTS-108 is a prodrug of SN-38, the active metabolite of widely-used cancer drug irinotecan, and is based on Diatos' Vectocell® technology. DTS-108 aims to increase the efficacy of SN-38 while reducing the toxic effects of irinotecan. DTS-108 is in preclinical development.

General enquiries
Dr John Tchelingerian, PhD, President & CEO                       
Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 80 93 80 

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