Multiple Sclerosis Experts Join Biogen Idec's Research and Development Team
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB), a global biotechnology leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative therapies, today announced that John R. Richert, M.D., will be joining the Company as a Senior Fellow in Neurology Research and Development and Nancy D. Richert, M.D., Ph.D., will be joining as a Fellow in Neurology Research and Development.
"We are extremely excited to add these two very distinguished leaders in the multiple sclerosis community to the Biogen Idec team," said Alfred Sandrock, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Neurology Research and Development. "Drs. John and Nancy Richert have a wealth of experience in MS treatment and research, which will help shape our drug development strategies and further enhance our abilities to bring to market innovative therapies that improve patients' lives."
"I've spent my professional life working on advancing the treatment of multiple sclerosis and am thrilled to be joining the talented and dedicated team at Biogen Idec," said Dr. John Richert. "Biogen Idec is a leader in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, and I look forward to working with the Company to further their research for this debilitating disease."
"Neuroimaging is a rapidly advancing discipline that has become an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders," said Dr. Nancy Richert. "I'm excited to apply my expertise to help Biogen Idec further its mission of developing life-saving and life-altering therapies for patients with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other serious neurological diseases."
Dr. John Richert joins Biogen Idec from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), where he served as executive vice president for Research and Clinical Programs for the past five years. Prior to the NMSS, he spent 25 years at Georgetown University, where he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Professor of Neurology and founder of the University's MS clinic. His early career was spent as an MS Society Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In his new position at Biogen Idec, Dr. Richert will take a leadership role in shaping Biogen Idec's MS strategy, including developing drugs for progressive forms of MS, for which there are currently limited treatment options, enhancing interactions with scientific leaders in MS, and advancing efforts in personalized medicine approaches to treating MS patients.
Dr. Nancy Richert most recently served as a staff clinician in the Neuroimmunology Branch at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and as a consulting staff in the Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology Department at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Previously, Dr. Richert served as a staff clinician in the Laboratory of Diagnostic Radiology Research at the NIH's Clinical Center. At Biogen Idec, she will advise on the use of MRI and other imaging technologies in our clinical trials, develop imaging strategies to advance the Company's efforts in personalized medicine, and build relationships with key scientific leaders in neuroimaging for MS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurologic disorders.
About Biogen Idec
Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients worldwide benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.
SOURCE: Biogen Idec
Biogen Idec Media Contact:Naomi Aoki, 617-914-6524Director, Public AffairsorBiogen Idec Investor Relations Contact:John Applegate, 617-679-2812Associate Director, Investor Relations