NormOxys, Inc. Appoints Dr. Gerard Riedel as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Program Management
Wellesley, MA - October 5, 2010 - NormOxys, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a novel class of small molecule drugs which enhance the body's ability to deliver oxygen to diseased tissues, today announced that Gerard (Rod) Riedel, PhD, has been appointed Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Program Management.
Dr. Riedel will be responsible for NormOxys' global regulatory strategy and its interactions with national health authorities and regulatory agencies, as well as leading and coordinating the company's drug development programs. Dr. Riedel will work closely with the NormOxys management team to support the advancement of its lead drug candidate, OXY111A, a novel allosteric modulator of affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin which is currently being evaluated in clinical studies as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
"We are delighted to welcome Rod to our growing team," said Martin Tolar, MD, PhD, chief executive officer of NormOxys. "His proven skills and deep experience in regulatory affairs and program management will be critical to NormOxys as we continue to advance our lead compound, OXY11A, and broaden our pipeline of oxyren therapeutic candidates."
"I am delighted to join NormOxys and contribute to the successful development of this highly innovative class of drug candidates, said Dr. Riedel. " The novel mechanism of action of NormOxys' lead compound, OXY111A, offers patients the potential of a fundamentally new therapeutic approach for several serious diseases."
Dr. Riedel is a biotechnology executive with over 28 years of biopharmaceutical R&D experience. In the course of his career, Dr. Riedel contributed to the regulatory approval for several novel product candidates, in different geographic territories. These products include rhBMP-2, a novel bone inducing recombinant human protein used in bone surgery; abarelix, a novel GnRH antagonist peptide used as a prostate cancer therapy; and a generic version of enoxaparin sodium, an anticoagulant used in several cardiovascular indications.
Dr. Riedel joins NormOxys from Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he served as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, culminating with the receipt of FDA approval for Momenta's generic version of Lovenox®, a drug with a highly complex composition. Prior to joining Momenta, Dr. Riedel was Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance and Project Management at PRAECIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Before joining PRAECIS, he held senior positions in R&D Project Management at Wyeth Research and Genetics Institute, Inc.
About OXY111A and Oxyrens
OXY111A is one of a new class of allosteric effectors of hemoglobin, called oxyrens (oxygen release enhancers). Oxyrens are allosteric modulators of the affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin, which permit hemoglobin to release much more than the "normal" 25 percent of their bound oxygen. Because of this increase in oxygen delivery capacity, oxygenation of diseased hypoxic tissues and organs is brought to normal levels. As an oxyren, OXY111A is transported into the red blood cell via a specific transporter, binds irreversibly to hemoglobin, and once in the red blood cell, remains there for the life of the cell.
About NormOxys
NormOxys is developing a novel class of small molecule drugs, oxyrens, which enhance the body's ability to deliver oxygen more efficiently to diseased tissues with oxygen deficiency. This new class of drugs can be potentially developed in a broad range of clinical indications where therapeutic benefit can be obtained through an increased, regulated delivery of oxygen to hypoxic tissues, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, anemia, stroke and diabetic retinopathy. The company is based in Wellesley, MA and was founded by Prof. Claude Nicolau, PhD, and Nobel Laureate Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, PhD, based on their groundbreaking investigations in chemistry and cellular biophysics.
To learn more about NormOxys, please visit the Company's website at www.normoxys.com.