EAGAN, MN – October 3,
2005 – Renowned beta glucan researcher Myra L. Patchen, Ph.D. has
joined Biothera as Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development, and
as a member of the company’s Pharmaceutical Steering Committee.
“Dr. Patchen’s experience in pharmaceutical development and her
knowledge as a researcher of our patented beta glucan compounds
brings tremendous value to our drug development programs,” said
Richard G. Mueller, Biothera president and chief executive officer.
Patchen is a consultant to drug development companies in the areas
of corporate drug-development strategy; discovery, nonclinical, and
clinical pharmaceutical development plans; assistance with
nonclinical and clinical study design and placement; and assistance
with regulatory strategy and preparation of regulatory applications
and documents. Patchen will continue her consulting practice (MLP
Consulting, Inc.) in non-beta glucan technologies.
Previously, Patchen was chief executive officer of Sucampo
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The privately held company
focused on the development and commercialization of drugs for
gastrointestinal, ophthalmic and specialty diseases. During her
tenure at Sucampo, Patchen oversaw and directed the filing of nine
separate Investigational New Drug Applications (INDs) and the
performance of numerous clinical and nonclinical studies. For one
indication, development efforts led by Patchen resulted in filing of
a New Drug Application (NDA) within just over five years of the IND
filing.
Before Sucampo, Patchen was director, Preclinical Pharmacology at
Alpha-Beta Technology, Inc., a biotech company focused on
development of beta glucan drugs for anti-infective, wound healing
and hematopoietic indications. While at Alpha-Beta Technologies,
Patchen was instrumental in all aspects of the company’s research,
technology and clinical development. Biothera has since acquired the
intellectual property of Alpha-Beta.
Patchen also was a project manager at the Armed Forces Radiobiology
Research Institute, Bethesda, MD. She led the evaluation of
immunomodulator and cytokine interventions for radiation-induced
hematopoietic injury and immune dysfunction using preclinical
models. The research team led by Patchen found that yeast beta
1,3/1,6 glucan increased the recovery of white blood cells following
radiation exposure and reduced infectious complications of
myelosuppression.
“Dr. Patchen has completed ground-breaking research in the area of
hematopoietic recovery and beta glucan compounds,” said Daniel
Conners, Biothera chairman and founder. “Additionally, her
experience in all aspects of drug development will be invaluable as
we develop not only our hematopoietic opportunity, but our entire
pharmaceutical platform.”
Patchen has a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Bowling Green State
University and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Texas,
Houston. She completed postdoctoral research at the Defense Nuclear
Agency, the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute and the
Experimental Hematology Department, Bethesda, MD.
About Biothera, the Immune Health Company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving
immune health. The company's primary focus is developing
pharmaceuticals whose unique mechanism of action engages immune
cells not normally involved in the fight against cancer. In
addition, Biothera’s healthcare group manufactures and markets
food-grade immune-enhancing ingredients for the nutritional
supplement, functional food, cosmetic and the animal feed and
nutrition markets.
Contact:
David Walsh
VP, Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606
dwalsh@biotherapharma.com