Nicox appoints Evelyne Nguyen as CFO

SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS, France, Feb. 4, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nicox S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris: COX) today announced the appointment of Evelyne Nguyen as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mrs. Nguyen has a strong track record in financial management, business development and strategic alliances. She will lead Nicox's finance, legal and IT departments and will join the Group's Executive Committee, reporting to Michele Garufi, Chairman and CEO. Nicox also announced the appointment to the Executive Committee of Stéphane Nicolas, who has been responsible of Human Resources of the Group since December 2012.

Mrs. Nguyen has 28 years of international experience in financial and administrative roles, including 20 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Before joining Nicox, Mrs. Nguyen held several senior positions at Laboratoire Français du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies (LFB), a French biopharmaceutical company specializing in therapeutic proteins, including CFO - Senior Vice President, Finance and Strategy, and Executive Vice President, Biomanufacturing. At LFB, she was a member of the Executive Committee, a member of the Board of Directors for GTC (United States) and President of Mabgene (France). She strengthened Finance, led a number of significant acquisitions and successfully managed cross-border strategic alliances and business development projects, including in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Previously, Mrs Nguyen worked at SAUR, a provider for environmental services, and at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she was involved in the post-merger integration of Bristol Myers and Squibb in France. Mrs Nguyen graduated from ISG (Institut Supérieur de Gestion) and Stanford University.

Stéphane Nicolas joined Nicox in December 2012 as HR Director and has more than 20 years of experience in HR management in international companies, most recently as global HR director at Scubapro, a division of Johnson Outdoors Inc. Before joining Scubapro, Mr. Nicolas worked at American Express and Eurosport. Mr. Nicolas holds a Masters in Human Resources from the University of Aix-en-Provence and a Master of Business, Human Resources, from INSEEC Paris.

Michele Garufi, Chairman and CEO of Nicox, said: "Evelyne Nguyen joins Nicox at a time of significant progress and change for our business as we continue to build an international ophthalmic company with commercial operations in the U.S. and Europe. 2014 will be an important year, with the launch of a number of new products and further efforts to expand our pipeline through new alliances and acquisitions. Evelyne brings significant experience in financial control, performance optimization and strategic development and we look forward to her support to meet these challenges. I am also delighted to welcome Stephane Nicolas to the Executive Committee, underlining the importance that the recruitment and retention of talented individuals will play in our future success as an emerging ophthalmic company."

Evelyne Nguyen commented: "I feel strongly about the new challenges facing pharma and healthcare in general. I am proud to join Nicox at this exciting moment of international expansion into the ophthalmic space, with a team of great professionals. This is an area of amazing potential and opportunity, and Nicox is very well positioned to succeed. I am excited to be part of the Company's new equity story."

About Nicox

Nicox (Bloomberg: COX:FP, Reuters: NCOX.PA) is an emerging international company focused on the ophthalmic market. With a heritage of innovative R&D, business development and commercial expertise, the Nicox team is building a diversified portfolio of therapies and diagnostic tools that can help people to enhance their sight. The Company's commercial portfolio and near-term pipeline already include several innovative diagnostic tests intended for eye care professionals, as well as a range of eye care products. Nicox's key proprietary asset in ophthalmology is latanoprostene bunod, a novel compound based on Nicox's proprietary nitric oxide (NO)-donating R&D platform, currently in Phase 3 clinical development in collaboration with Bausch + Lomb for the potential treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Further NO-donors are under development, notably through partners.

Nicox is headquartered in France, with research capabilities in Italy, a growing commercial infrastructure in North America and in the major European markets and an expanding international presence through partners. Nicox S.A. is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment B: Mid Caps). For more information on Nicox or its products please visitwww.nicox.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.

Risks factors which are likely to have a material effect on Nicox's business are presented in the 4th chapter of the « Document de référence, rapport financier annuel et rapport de gestion 2012 » filed with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) on March 22, 2013 and available on Nicox's website (www.nicox.com) and on the AMF's website (www.amf-france.org).

Nicox S.A.
Drakkar 2 | Bât D | 2405 route des Dolines | CS 10313 | Sophia Antipolis | 06560 Valbonne | France
T: +33 (0)4 97 24 53 00   |   F: +33 (0)4 97 24 53 99

www.nicox.com