TB Alliance Appoints Dr. Nader Fotouhi, Chief Scientific Officer

NEW YORK, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- TB Alliance, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing better, faster, and affordable treatments for tuberculosis (TB), announced the appointment of Nader Fotouhi, Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer. Nader comes to the TB Alliance with nearly 25 years of experience, having served most recently as Vice President & Global Head of Discovery Technologies at Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc.

"The future of transformative TB treatment depends on the discovery and development of novel compounds," said Carl Mendel, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, TB Alliance. "Nader Fotouhi brings deep experience in research and pre-clinical development, among other areas. His work can help ensure there continues to be a stream of promising new agents that could be part of tomorrow's improved TB therapies."

At Roche, Dr. Fotouhi helped select and advance more than 20 drug candidates from preclinical studies to clinical development. He managed the Roche Compound Inventory in New Jersey, Switzerland, and China, and significantly enhanced lead identification capabilities and compound success by implementing novel screening technologies. Dr. Fotouhi joined Roche as a Senior Scientist in 1990.

"TB Alliance's pipeline of products is a source of hope for those around the world suffering from TB," said Dr. Nader Fotouhi. "I am honored to join the TB Alliance and help the portfolio deliver on its promise. It is a wonderful opportunity, and a challenge toward which I'm eager to apply my skills and experience."

Nader Fotouhi earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He earned his M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross in 1982. Dr. Fotouhi is a member of several boards, including the Rutgers Chemistry and Chemical Biology Advisory Board.

Every year, 1.3 million people worldwide die from TB. It is estimated that the bacteria that causes TB infects one-third of the world's population. The current treatment is inadequate, and resistance to today's drugs is growing. New, faster-acting, simpler drug regimens are critical to defeating TB.

About the TB Alliance
The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight tuberculosis. Through innovative science and with partners around the globe, we aim to ensure equitable access to faster, better TB cures that will advance global health and prosperity. TB Alliance operates with funding from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department for International Development (DFID), European Commission, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT), Irish Aid, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), UNITAID, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information please visit tballiance.org.

For more information please contact:
Derek Ambrosino, +1 646-616-8639 / [email protected]

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SOURCE TB Alliance