Savient Pharmaceuticals announced that Paul Hamelin was named president following the resignation of the company's president, chief executive officer and director, Christopher Clement by mutual agreement between him and the board.

AstraZeneca announced the appointment of Rich Fante as the new president of its U.S. operation. Fante takes the place of Tony Zook, who was named president of MedImmune.

Start-up Ascent Therapeutics has appointed Frederick Jones, a medical doctor, as its president and chief executive.

PDI Inc. named Nancy Lurker as chief executive.

Spheris has named Daniel J. Kohl as the company's president and chief executive officer, as well as a member of its board of directors.

Arana Therapeutics has named Dr. Steffen Nock to the position of acting chief executive officer.

CytoGenix appointed veteran pharmaceutical executive Dr.Lex M. Cowsert to the positions of president, CEO and director.

M. Denis Connaghan was named CEO of Etrials.

Chris Rivera has been named the new president of the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association.

Acusphere announced that Dr. Howard Bernstein, executive vice president of research and development, has resigned to pursue new opportunities.

NuGEN Technologies has hired Daniel Benetz to serve as the company's chief financial officer, and Dr. Yan Zhang to fill the newly created role of vice president of marketing.

Ron Townsend will oversee Battelle's global laboratory operations beginning in mid-January 2009.

Anthony S. Chilton, Ph.D. is joining BASi as chief operating officer, scientific services.

SuperGen has promoted David Bearss, Ph.D., to chief scientific officer.

Harvard Bioscience has appointed Thomas McNaughton as its new CFO.

KIKA Medical announced that industry veteran Kristine Klinger has joined the company as vice president of professional services.

Biotrial announced that Monique Duguépéroux-Klocke has joined the company as its new head of data management.

Clinilabs announced that Dr. Howard Greenberg has been appointed as the new senior medical director of the company's clinical pharmacology unit.

Sinclair Pharma has appointed Ross Macdonald as the vice president of business development for North America & South Pacific.

INC Research has added Dr. Renee Simar as the company's principle pediatric strategist.

Syndexa Pharmaceuticals has named John Chabala and Edmund Sybertz to its scientific advisory board.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals has formed an Oncology Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Margaret Tempero, deputy director, director of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and distinguished professor and chief of the division of medical oncology, was named chairperson.

Sirius Genomics announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.  They are: Dr. Heiner Dreismann, Dr. Chris Fibiger and Mr. Patrick Terry.

MDS has appointed James S.A. MacDonald as chairman of the company's board of directors.