Pharmalink Strengthens Board with Appointment of Maria Carell as Chair

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/454925/Maria_Carell_Pharmalink.jpg )

Ms. Carell has an extensive background in operating, acquiring and developing healthcare and life science companies. She has previously held the position as CEO of Exeltis USA Inc., the branded division of pharmaceutical company Chemo Group, which she joined in 2014. Prior to this she was President of Meda US and Executive Vice President of Meda North America & South Pacific at Meda Inc. Before joining Meda, she served as President and CEO of Q-Med AB, a global medical device company, which was acquired by Galderma in 2011 for approx. $1 billion.

Prior to Q-Med, Ms Carell worked as General Manager at Actavis Pharmaceuticals in the Nordic region. She has also served in several Business Development, Sales and Marketing roles for organizations ranging in size from small entrepreneurial to large cap global (Novartis, Johnson & Johnson).

Ms. Carell has also held several board assignments as Board Member and as Chair of the Board in both public and private life science and health care provider companies.

Ms Carell said: "I am pleased to be joining the Board of Pharmalink at this exciting time. As a private company, Pharmalink is in the rare position of having positive Phase 2 clinical trial data on its wholly owned lead candidate, Nefecon^®, which has shown promising results in patients with IgA nephropathy, a progressive inflammatory kidney disease. With Phase 3 trials in preparation, including recent senior appointments that add further clinical, regulatory and manufacturing expertise to strengthen the management team, I am looking forward to bringing my experience to the team."

Johan Häggblad, Managing Director of Pharmalink, said: "We are delighted to welcome Maria as Chair and confident that her extensive domestic and international experience and a proven track record within the industry will be of great value to  Pharmalink as we advance Nefecon towards and through Phase 3 trials."

*Image available on request 

Notes to Editors 

About IgA Nephropathy 

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney glomeruli). The disease is characterized by deposits, predominantly containing polymeric IgA antibody, in the kidney that cause inflammation and renal damage.

IgAN can occur at any age, but the clinical onset is commonly during the second or third decades of life. It has been estimated that up to 40% of patients with IgAN progress to renal failure, often referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 5-30 years following diagnosis. This patient population is estimated to at least 200,000 in major markets.

Patients suffering renal failure require dialysis or kidney transplantation. IgAN accounts for 10% of renal transplants among patients with primary glomerulonephritis in the US and between 7-20% of patients in Europe and Australia in long-term dialysis and renal transplantation programs.

About Nefecon® 

Nefecon is a treatment for patients with primary IgA nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Nefecon has successfully completed a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study in more than 150 IgAN patients at risk of developing ESRD, under standardized rigorous blood pressure control with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and/or angiotensin II receptor I blocker (ARB). Full data and analysis of the NEFIGAN trial is expected to be published in a peer-review journal. A Phase 3 registration trial is being planned to begin in 2017.

Nefecon is an oral formulation of a locally-acting and potent corticosteroid, budesonide, that down-regulates the disease process in the kidney through suppression of the gastrointestinal immune system thus exploiting the pivotal role the gastrointestinal tract plays in the overall immune response. Promising results indicate that treatment with Nefecon may provide clinical benefits to IgAN patients at risk of progressing to ESRD, and provide an alternative to dialysis and transplantation. Nefecon has received orphan drug designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

About Pharmalink AB 

Pharmalink is a specialty pharma company developing high value products for patients with significant unmet medical needs. With a highly experienced, dynamic management team, Pharmalink draws on its extensive experience of pharmaceutical development and marketing to efficiently identify and progress valuable and de-risked products.

Visit http://www.pharmalink.se for further information.

For further information, please contact:

Pharmalink AB:
Johan Häggblad, Managing Director, +46-(0)70-668-0644
Email: [email protected]  

Anders Hultman, Chief Financial Officer, +46-(0)76-629-6990
Email: [email protected]

http://www.pharmalink.se

Citigate Dewe Rogerson (for Pharmalink):
Mark Swallow/Pip Batty, +44-(0)7903-737703 / +44-(0)20-7282-2948
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Pharmalink AB