RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Envisia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel extended-release therapies in ophthalmology, today announced the appointment of William E. Yelle as executive chairman of the Board of Directors. Yelle succeeds Gary M. Phillips, M.D., who will continue to serve as a director. Envisia also announced the retirement of Board member, Seth A. Rudnick, M.D., adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and recently retired Partner at Canaan Partners.
"As Envisia rapidly advances, it is critical to foster our Board's breadth of talent and depth of knowledge," said Benjamin Yerxa, President of Envisia. "Bill is a well respected industry expert who brings years of leadership experience from pharmaceutical companies across numerous sizes and development stages. We believe his strategic insight and knowledge will be invaluable to the direction and growth of Envisia, in particular, his experience in securing key partnerships, raising capital and advancing clinical programs."
Yerxa continued, "We greatly appreciate Seth's significant contribution during the early stages of Envisia's development and his commitment to our success. We are grateful for Gary's valuable service as Chairman and are pleased that he will continue his service on the Board."
Yelle has over 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry, including positions in executive management, corporate and business development, strategic planning, portfolio management, commercial operations and R&D. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Aldea Pharmaceuticals, where he built an executive team, completed a successful Series B financing and brought two programs into the clinic. Prior to Aldea, Yelle was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (formerly Sepracor Inc.). While at Sepracor, he was instrumental in the company's transition from an early stage clinical organization into a fully integrated pharmaceutical company, and its sale to Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Co., Ltd. for $2.6 billion in 2009. Prior to joining Sepracor in 1995, Yelle held positions of increasing responsibility in Pfizer Inc.'s U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group. Yelle received an M.B.A. from Columbia University, a M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.S. Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
ABOUT ENVISIA THERAPEUTICS™
Envisia Therapeutics is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the development of novel ocular therapies. Envisia is leveraging the unique and powerful properties of the PRINT® technology platform to develop therapies for a variety of ocular conditions, beginning with ENV515 for glaucoma. ENV515 is a novel, extended-release formulation of a marketed prostaglandin analogue with the potential to significantly limit disease progression and vision loss through improved product performance and patient compliance. Envisia is actively exploring the use of the company's unique technology to develop products for other important ocular diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and ocular inflammation. Envisia is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. For more information, please go to www.envisiatherapeutics.com.
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SOURCE Envisia Therapeutics
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