Proteus Digital Health announced earlier this month that Anthem‘s (NYSE:ANTM) executive chairman, Joseph Swedish, joined the company’s board of directors.
Swedish served as Anthem’s president & chief executive from 2013 until he was appointed executive chairman in 2018.
“Proteus has created a compelling solution to a problem that has plagued the pharmaceutical industry for decades: achieving outcomes in the real world that match those in clinical trials,” Swedish said in prepared remarks. “Digital medicines accurately measure medication ingestion and key health metrics. They present an opportunity for companies to engage in value-based contracts, where reimbursement for the drug is tied to a measured outcome.”
“We have demonstrated widespread patient acceptance of Digital Medicines and successfully integrated them into physician workflows, improving outcomes,” Proteus co-founder & CEO Andrew Thompson added. “Our next challenge is to show that digital medicines enable value-based contracting, wider patient access and a more sustainable pharmaceutical industry business model that aligns the interests of innovators, patients and payers. No one is more qualified to help us succeed with this final innovation step than Joe Swedish.”
Last fall, the FDA approved Abilify MyCite, the first drug to have an ingestible sensor embedded within the pill to track if the medication was taken.
The product is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia, acute treatment of manic and mixed episodes linked with bipolar I disorder and as an add-on treatment for depression in adults.
The approval was granted to Otsuka Pharmaceutical (TYO:4578), but the sensor and wearable patch technology were developed by Proteus Digital Health.
InfuSystem’s interim finance exec to depart at the end of quarter
InfuSystem (NYSE:INFU) said this month that its interim CFO, Christopher Downs, plans to resign effective March 31.
The resignation is not related to problems with the company’s finances, according to InfuSystem, and Downs is slated to stay on with the company until the end of the quarter to assist with the reporting of its full-year financial results. InfuSystem’s corporate controller & chief accounting officer, Trent Smith, will take Downs’ responsibilities until the company can find a new CFO.
“I want to thank Chris for his service to the Company over the past six years and especially since August of 2016 when he took over the reins as interim CFO. We understand Chris’ decision, and everyone at InfuSystem wishes the best for him and his family,” president & CEO Richard DiIorio said in prepared remarks. “Chris has been very gracious in agreeing to continue with the Company through the end of the quarter to facilitate an orderly transition and to assist in preparing the financial reporting for the just completed fiscal year. We have commenced a search and hope to have a new CFO in place shortly after Chris’ scheduled departure.”
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Chrono Therapeutics’ chief executive to retire
Chrono Therapeutics said this month that its CEO Alan Levy plans to retire. David Happel, who comes to Chrono from Horizon Pharma, is slated to take over the company’s corner office and board member James Young will become chairman of the board.
“I’m very pleased with the progress we have made over the last four years, including the excellent clinical results in our smoking cessation application as well as the progress we have made on our Parkinson’s disease and opioid-tapering programs that target important unmet clinical needs,” Levy said in prepared remarks. “With David’s background and experience in both the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and his focus on commercialization, he is the ideal person to take the company through its next chapter.”
During his time at Horizon Pharma, Happel served as EVP of commercial development and strategy.
“It is an honor to succeed Alan, and I am very excited to build on the foundation that has been created at Chrono Therapeutics as the company continues to advance its proprietary SmartDermal therapeutics and technology platform into the later stages of clinical development and commercialization,” Happel added.
“On behalf of the entire board, we thank Alan for his endless dedication and commitment to the company over the last four years. Under his leadership Chrono Therapeutics has built a rich pipeline of product candidates to address unmet needs in addictions and central nervous systems disorders with a vision to improve patient outcomes and lives,” Young said.
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Senior Kite executive joins Brainstorm’s board
Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (NSDQ:BCLI) announced this month that Kite’s interim chief scientific officer, Anthony Polverino, has joined the company’s board of directors.
“We are honored to have Dr. Polverino join our board of directors,” president & CEO Chaim Lebovits said in prepared remarks. “His extensive experience in the biotech industry and in academic research, which includes senior roles at Kite, a Gilead Company and Amgen, will be invaluable as we continue to develop NurOwn as a potential breakthrough treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and pursue development of our pipeline candidates in other CNS diseases. We look forward to the strategic insights and contributions he will make.”
Polverino has also served as VP of research at Kite and executive director of Amgen’s therapeutics innovation unit.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to join Brainstorm’s board of directors,” Polverino added. “Brainstorm is developing innovative treatments for patients with neurodegenerative diseases and I look forward to providing scientific and business guidance to the company.”
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