C&L: Cell Genesys COO Vallner resigns

Cell Genesys announced that Joseph J. Vallner, Ph.D., the company's president and COO, has resigned to become the CFO of an early-stage, private biotechnology company.

Le@p Technology has named Dr. Donald J. Ciappenelli as CEO and chairman.

Access Genetics has named industry veteran George M. Hoedeman as its CEO.

Ilypsa has named William D. Waddill CFO.

ARCA Discovery has appointed Thomas A. Keuer as executive vice president of pharmaceutical operations.

Taro Pharmaceutical Industries said its CFO, Kevin Connelly, resigned after a critical auditor's report.

DeCODE Genetics has appointed Jakob Sigurdsson as senior vice president, corporate development.

Koronis Pharmaceuticals has appointed Stephen Becker, M.D., chief medical officer.

Kosan has appointed Robert De Jager as chief medical officer.

Gene Express has appointed John C. Anders, Ph.D. as vice president of operations.

Michael Ostrach has joined Dynavax as vice president, chief business officer and general counsel.

Dr. Yuan-Chi Su has accepted a position with Industrial Biotechnology to assist and oversee the process development and scale up of targeted compounds prior to large scale production and manufacturing.

Schering-Plough Corporation has appointed Eduardo Cortes as general manager, Schering-Plough Argentina.

Clarus Ventures announced Dr. Jeff Leiden, former president and COO of Abbott's Pharmaceuticals business, has joined the firm's Cambridge office as Partner.

Jody M. LoMenzo has joined Insmed as director, investor relations and corporate communications.

NeoStem has named Julio C. Guerra, MD, ABP, as the company's director of sales and marketing.

Cleveland BioLabs has named John Gordon, Ph.D. director of clinical operations.

GammaCan International has named Lynn Schuchter M.D. to the company's Scientific Advisory Board.

Pharmaceutical industry experts Dr Richard Jones and Dr Roy Bullingham have joined Xceleron's Scientific Advisory Board.

Avalon Pharmaceuticals has named Todd R. Golub, M.D., to the newly created position of chairman, Scientific Advisory Board.

OMRIX Biopharmaceuticals has named Joseph Akers as a new member of the board of directors.

Heiner Dreismann, Ph.D. has been named Nanogen's board of directors.

The board of directors of Zila elected Dr. David Sidransky to join its ranks.

Inspire Pharmaceuticals has appointed Nancy J. Hutson, Ph.D. to the company's board of directors.

Panacos Pharmaceuticals has named Laurent Fischer, M.D. to its board.

Sciele Pharma has named Jerry C. Griffin, M.D., to its board.