Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Appoints Thomas Wiggans to Chairman of the Board

CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the appointment of Thomas G. Wiggans as Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Wiggans brings to the role more than 30 years of experience in successfully developing and commercializing drugs with several notable successes in the dermatology field.  Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and commercialization of novel drugs for the amelioration of skin scarring and other fibrotic disorders.

"We are delighted to have Mr. Wiggans join Excaliard," commented Gordon Foulkes, President of Excaliard, and Managing Director of RiverVest Venture Partners. "Tom has successfully led dermatology companies, such as Connetics and Peplin, and his guidance in Excaliard's growth will be invaluable."

"Excaliard has made impressive clinical progress in advancing its lead product EXC-001 through three Phase II clinical studies in skin scarring," commented Mr. Wiggans. "I am looking forward to working with the Excaliard team to bring EXC-001 and the company's product pipeline forward."

In August 2010, Excaliard announced positive results from its Phase 2 clinical trial of EXC 001. Results showed that EXC 001 treatment significantly reduced scar severity in subjects undergoing an elective abdominoplasty compared to placebo at 12 weeks post surgery. The final analysis for this study will be conducted 24 weeks after surgery. The data for this study and two additional skin scarring Phase 2 studies will be available later in 2010.

Most recently Mr. Wiggans was Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Peplin, Inc., which was acquired in 2009 by LEO Pharma of Copenhagen, Denmark. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Connetics Corporation from 1994 until 2006, when the company was acquired by Stiefel Laboratories. From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Wiggans served as President and Chief Operating Officer of CytoTherapeutics, a biotechnology company. From 1980 to 1992, Mr. Wiggans served in various positions at Ares-Serono Group, a pharmaceutical company, including President of its U.S. pharmaceutical operations. Mr. Wiggans currently serves as a Director of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Sangamo Biosciences and Somaxon Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Wiggans holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Kansas and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University.

About EXC 001

EXC 001 is a new generation antisense medicine that may interrupt the process of fibrosis by inhibiting a growth factor. Unsatisfactory skin scarring can be associated with virtually every surgical procedure, including elective, reconstructive, or emergency surgery, traumatic wounds, and various dermatologic conditions, such as hypertrophic scars and keloids. Prevention and treatment of unsatisfactory skin scarring is an important unmet medical need.

About Excaliard Pharmaceuticals

Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a venture capital-funded biotechnology company founded in 2007 focused on the development and commercialization of novel and innovative drugs for the amelioration of skin scarring and other fibrotic disorders. EXC 001 was co-discovered by Isis Pharmaceuticals  Inc., (Nasdaq: ISIS) and Excaliard, and licensed to Excaliard Pharmaceuticals.

SOURCE Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.