HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES NAMES SCOTT HABIG VICE PRESIDENT, SALES
ROCKVILLE, Maryland - February 1, 2010 - Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) today announced that Scott Habig has joined the Company as Vice President, Sales, reporting to Kevin P. McRaith, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, HGS. Mr. Habig was most recently Vice President, Sales, at Centocor Ortho Biotech, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
"Scott Habig is exemplary of the top leadership talent with which we are building up our commercial organization. He brings to HGS more than 25 years of experience as a leader in the sales and marketing of biological and pharmaceutical products for the treatment of autoimmune and infectious diseases," said Barry A. Labinger, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "We are pleased to have Scott join our commercial team and expect him to play a central role in building and leading a world class sales organization to launch our lead products, BENLYSTA for systemic lupus and ZALBIN for hepatitis C, along with our partners." Both BENLYSTATM (belimumab) and ZALBINTM (albinterferon alfa-2b) have the potential to receive regulatory clearance in the United States as soon as late 2010.
During his nine years with the Centocor and Centocor Ortho Biotech subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Habig held a number of key leadership positions, including Vice President, Sales and Marketing. He developed and led the execution of sales and marketing strategy that established REMICADE (infliximab) as a leading product for the treatment of autoimmune diseases including Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. He also managed a team of more than 600 sales and marketing employees. Prior to joining Centocor in 2000, Mr. Habig served as Vice President, Marketing, at Ethicon Endo Surgery. He began his career as a Sales Representative at Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc., where he advanced through a series of sales and product management positions of increasing responsibility during a 14-year tenure. Mr. Habig received his Bachelor of Arts degree in mass media communications from the University of Akron, Ohio.
About Human Genome Sciences
The mission of HGS is to apply great science and great medicine to bring innovative drugs to patients with unmet medical needs. The HGS clinical development pipeline includes novel drugs to treat lupus, hepatitis C, inhalation anthrax and cancer.
The Company's primary focus is rapid progress toward the commercialization of its two lead drugs, BENLYSTATM (belimumab) for lupus and ZALBINTM (albinterferon alfa-2b) for hepatitis C. Phase 3 development has been completed successfully for both BENLYSTA and ZALBIN. The submission of marketing applications for BENLYSTA is planned in the U.S., Europe and other regions in the second quarter of 2010. A BLA has been submitted for ZALBIN to the FDA in the United States, and an MAA has been submitted under the brand name JOULFERON® to the EMEA in Europe.
In April 2009, HGS completed the delivery of 20,000 doses of raxibacumab to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile for use in the event of an emergency to treat inhalational anthrax. In July 2009, HGS secured a new purchase order for 45,000 doses of raxibacumab to be delivered to the Stockpile over a three-year period beginning near the end of 2009. In May 2009, HGS submitted a Biologics License Application to the FDA for raxibacumab for the treatment of inhalation anthrax.
The Company also has several drugs in earlier stages of clinical development for the treatment of cancer, led by the TRAIL receptor antibody mapatumumab and a small-molecule antagonist of inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins. In addition, HGS has substantial financial rights to certain products in the GSK clinical pipeline including darapladib, currently in Phase 3 development in patients with coronary heart disease, and Syncria® (albiglutide), currently in Phase 3 development in patients with type 2 diabetes.
For more information about HGS, please visit the Company's web site at www.hgsi.com. Health professionals and patients interested in clinical trials of HGS products may inquire via e-mail to [email protected] e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling HGS at (877) 822-8472.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements are based on Human Genome Sciences' current intent, belief and expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements because of Human Genome Sciences' unproven business model, its dependence on new technologies, the uncertainty and timing of clinical trials, Human Genome Sciences' ability to develop and commercialize products, its dependence on collaborators for services and revenue, its substantial indebtedness and lease obligations, its changing requirements and costs associated with facilities, intense competition, the uncertainty of patent and intellectual property protection, Human Genome Sciences' dependence on key management and key suppliers, the uncertainty of regulation of products, the impact of future alliances or transactions and other risks described in the Company's filings with the SEC. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today's date. Human Genome Sciences undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this announcement whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
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