Sonus Pharmaceuticals’ chief medical officer, Michael Stewart, is retiring June 1, the Bothell company has announced. He joined the company in early 2003, having previously been a senior manager at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
His day-to-day responsibilities will be handled by Elaine Waller, now the company’s vice president of regulatory affairs and quality assurance, and Richard Daifuku, vice president of preclinical and clinical research. Daifuku will assume the role of acting chief medical officer as well.
The company notes that both Waller and Daifuku were recruited by Stewart and have years of experience with Sonus. Stewart will continue to be a consultant through at least mid-2007, the company noted in its announcement, which can be found here: http://www.pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=342571&categoryid=33%2C34. The company’s Web site is here, http://www.sonuspharma.com/index.html.
The transition comes at a crucial time for Sonus’ scientific side. Its lead drug, Tocosol paclitaxel, is undergoing a phase 3 trial in patients with mestatic breast cancer. It hopes to submit its New Drug Application to the FDA by the end of 2007. Meanwhile, German drug giant Schering AG has signed on as Sonus’ partner to help take the drug from its clinical trials, through the approval process and out into the pharmaceutical market. Also, Sonus hopes to begin clinical development of a second anti-cancer drug by the end of this year.
Key quote from the company’s announcement: “Although I was semi-retired when presented with the opportunity to take on the development of Tocosol paclitaxel, I have thoroughly enjoyed the past three-plus years leading an effort to fill an unmet medical need in the taxane space,” Stewart said.
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