KemPharm, Inc. Appoints Todd Johnson, Ph.D. as Chief Commercial Officer

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- KemPharm, Inc. announced today that Todd J. Johnson, Ph.D., a current member of the company's board of directors, has recently joined the company as Chief Commercial Officer.  Dr. Johnson will report directly to Travis C. Mickle, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer, and he will assume responsibility for all aspects of drug manufacture and supply for KemPharm's clinical pipeline.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100518/CG06271LOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100518/CG06271LOGO)

Dr. Johnson has 12 years' experience in pharmaceutical drug development and manufacturing.  Previously, he was Director of R&D and Controlled Substances for Cambrex Corporation, where he was responsible for North American chemical and analytical development and global strategy for development and sale of controlled substances.  Before Cambrex, Dr. Johnson worked in various sales, business unit head, pharmaceutical development, and discovery research roles at public and private pharmaceutical companies.  Dr. Johnson has served on KemPharm's board of directors since 2007 when he worked at the company as CEO until mid-2008.  

"Dr. Johnson is a timely and strategic addition to our team due to the continued successes of our clinical programs and their rapid development path to commercialization," stated Dr. Mickle.  "Dr. Johnson is a seasoned drug development and manufacturing veteran, bringing over 10 years of industry experience including experience with controlled substances, a key necessity given our product line.  Dr. Johnson's arrival coincides with KemPharm's heightened clinical activities, including a planned Phase 2 trial for KP106, its novel d-amphetamine prodrug for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a planned Phase 1 trial for KP201, its novel prodrug of hydrocodone for acute pain.  Dr. Johnson will play a key role in securing and managing our drug manufacture and supply agreements with partners as well as helping with regulatory matters and commercial strategy."

"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to return and expand my contributions to the KemPharm mission," said Dr. Johnson.  "I look forward to leveraging my controlled substance drug manufacturing expertise and helping KemPharm to deliver better, safer drugs with abuse deterrent properties."  Dr. Johnson is first inventor on several patents and patent applications along with several research publications.  Dr. Johnson earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Indiana University and his B.S. from the University of Iowa.

About KemPharm, Inc.

KemPharm, Inc. is focused on the discovery and development of new chemical entities (NCEs) to treat serious medical conditions through its proprietary and broadly applicable LAT prodrug approach.  KemPharm utilizes its LAT prodrug technology to generate improved versions of FDA-approved drugs.  Each NCE creates new composition-based intellectual property, may have a shorter development timeline and reduced development costs, and may be eligible for 505(b)(2) regulatory submission.  The Company's business strategy includes seeking strategic development partners following rapid clinical proof of concept demonstration in a Phase 1 trial.  KemPharm also plans to explore discovery stage alliances with industry leaders, leveraging its prodrug know-how and LAT technology platform.  KemPharm is developing candidates for ADHD, pain, other central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer.  www.kempharm.com

Forward Looking Statements and Information

This release contains forward-looking statements which are not based upon historical fact, including, without limitation, "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "predict," "believe," "may" and "project." Such statements, including statements relating to developments, progress, timelines, plans of our clinical and preclinical programs, and potential benefits of KemPharm Inc.'s product candidates, involve various assumptions, known and unknown risks, and uncertainties which may cause actual results or events to be materially different and adverse from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements.  Such assumptions, risks and uncertainties may relate to difficulties or delays in discovery, development, testing, and regulatory approval of the company's product candidates, results that are inconsistent with preclinical results, unexpected adverse side effects, or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of the product candidates.  The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date, and KemPharm disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect the occurrence of events or circumstances after the date hereof.

SOURCE KemPharm, Inc.