Press Release
NeurogesX Adds Neil Kurtz, MD, To Board
President and CEO of TorreyPines Therapeutics Joins Board Of Late Stage Neuropathic Pain CompanySan Carlos, Calif. - November 10, 2005
NeurogesX, Inc., a late stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel treatments for neuropathic pain, today announced the addition of Neil Kurtz, MD, to its board of directors. This appointment increases the number of board members from five to six.
“We are pleased to add Dr. Kurtz to our board as he is a highly accomplished clinician with more than 25 years of global biopharmaceutical management experience,” said Anthony A. DiTonno, CEO and President of NeurogesX. “Dr. Kurtz has a proven track record in both the clinical and regulatory arenas, which we believe will be invaluable as we move toward regulatory filings for Transacin™, our proprietary, clinician-administered dermal patch for the treatment of neuropathic pain in Europe and the U.S.”
“I am delighted to join NeurogesX’s board of directors,” said Dr. Kurtz. “This is a company with great prospects, including a very promising product in late stage clinical trials for neuropathic pain. I look forward to helping NeurogesX achieve their goal of filing an NDA and launching a product that will benefit patients with this very painful and difficult to treat condition.”
Dr Kurtz is currently President and CEO of TorreyPines Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for neurological diseases and disorders. In addition Dr. Kurtz currently serves on the board of Medidata Solutions, Inc., a global provider of electronic data management services.
Prior to joining TorreyPines Therapeutics, Dr. Kurtz served as president of Ingenix Pharmaceutical Services, a division of UnitedHealth Group (UHG), and also served as a member of the UHG executive board. Dr. Kurtz also co-founded Worldwide Clinical Trials, a contract research organization where he held the position of president and CEO until the company’s acquisition by UHG in 1999. Dr. Kurtz began his career at Merck and he has held senior positions with Boots Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bayer Corporation and the Bristol-Myers Company.
Dr. Kurtz, a board-certified psychiatrist, holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New York University and a medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. During his career, he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals on central nervous system (CNS) clinical research, co-authored numerous books on CNS disorders, and consulted to more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies.
In addition to Dr. Kurtz and Mr. DiTonno, the NeurogesX board includes Jean-Jacques Bienaime (BioMarin), Alix Marduel, MD (Alta Partners), Robert Nelsen (ARCH Ventures) and Daniel K. Turner III (Montreux Equity).
About NeurogesX
NeurogesX is a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel treatments for the management of neuropathic pain and improving quality of life using advanced neuroscience insights and innovative delivery technologies. The company’s initial products are focused on the treatment of chronic pain in the areas of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-AN) and painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Additional information about NeurogesX can be found at www.neurogesx.com.
NeurogesX is a trademark of NeurogesX, Inc.
Contacts:
Anthony A. DiTonno
CEO and President
NeurogesX, Inc.
aditonno@neurogesx.com
650-508-2116
Stephen F Ghiglieri
CFO
NeurogesX, Inc.
sghiglieri@neurogesx.com
650-508-2116
Mark Stuart
Healthcare Public Relations Director
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
mstuart@lhai.com
310-691-7116