Scilex Holding Company Strengthens Board of Directors with Appointment of Two Highly Accomplished Pharmaceutical and Biotechn...
September 30 2019 - 7:00AM
Scilex Holding Company (Scilex) today announced that it appointed
Scott M. Whitcup, M.D. as lead independent director to its Board of
Directors in May of this year. Dr. Whitcup is founder and Chief
Executive Officer of Akrivista, LLC and Whitecap Biosciences, LLC,
two companies focused on the development and commercialization of
novel therapies in ophthalmology and dermatology. Previously,
Dr. Whitcup held various research and development roles from 2000
to 2015 at Allergan, Inc., including serving as Executive Vice
President, Research and Development from 2004 to 2015 and Chief
Scientific Officer from 2008 to 2015, where he was responsible for
managing global research and development, including discovery,
clinical development, portfolio planning, medical affairs and
technology assessment for in-licensing and participated in many
commercial launches in ophthalmology, CNS, urology, dermatology,
and anti-infective products. Before Allergan, Dr. Whitcup was
the Clinical Director at the National Eye Institute at the NIH, and
Chaired the NIH Medical Executive Committee. Dr. Whitcup
holds a B.A. in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University
and an M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. Dr.
Whitcup currently serves on the board of Menlo Therapeutics Inc., a
publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company, and Anivive
Lifesciences, Inc., a private veterinary health company. Dr.
Whitcup previously served on the board of Avanir Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. from November 2005 to January 2014 and Nightstar
Therapeutics plc from May 2017 to June 2019.
“I’m excited to join Scilex’s Board and collaborate with other
Board members and Scilex’s executive leadership team to contribute
to the company’s mission of developing and delivering innovative
medicines for patients living with chronic pain,” said Dr.
Whitcup. “During my twenty-five-plus year career in biopharma
as both an executive and an independent director, I’ve had multiple
opportunities to help companies grow strategically. I look
forward to bringing my expertise and experience to Scilex as an
independent Board member.”
Elizabeth Czerepak has also joined the Board of Directors of
Scilex, as chair of the audit committee. Ms. Czerepak brings
more than 35 years of experience across pharmaceuticals,
biotechnology and venture capital. Ms. Czerepak currently serves as
the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer of Genevant
Sciences, Inc., a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company based
in Cambridge, MA. From April 2015 to May 2018, Ms. Czerepak served
as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of
Corporate Development at Altimmune, Inc. a publicly-traded
immunotherapeutics biotechnology company. From April 2014 to April
2015, she was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business
Officer of Isarna Therapeutics Inc., a therapeutics company that
developed selective transforming growth factor beta inhibitors to
fight cancer and to treat ophthalmic and fibrotic diseases. From
January 2011 to March 2014, she served as the Chief Financial
Officer, Secretary, Principal Accounting Officer and Head of Human
Resources of Cancer Genetics, Inc., a company that develops,
commercializes and provides molecular and biomarker-based tests.
Prior to that, she served as a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase
& Co. and Bear Stearns & Co., and as a General Partner at
Bear Stearns Health Innoventures L.P., a venture capital fund. Ms.
Czerepak currently serves on the board of directors of Spectrum
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company.
She received her B.A. from Marshall University in Spanish and
Mathematics Education and her MBA from Rutgers University.
“I look forward to serving on Scilex’s Board with enthusiasm and
great commitment. I am excited about Scilex’s bright future
in the field of chronic pain,” said Elizabeth Czerepak.
“We are pleased to welcome Scott and Elizabeth, two seasoned and
highly-regarded leaders in our industry as new independent
directors to the Scilex Board," said Jaisim Shah, President and CEO
of Scilex. "They are joining Scilex at an exciting time as we
continue to fulfill our vision to be the leading pain management
company delivering novel non-opioid and nonaddictive treatments
for safe and durable relief of multiple chronic pain conditions.
The addition of these directors complements our Board of Directors'
skills and experiences, and we are confident they will provide
valuable perspectives as we enhance value to our stockholders. We
look forward to their contributions and are excited they chose
Scilex."
About Scilex Holding Company
Scilex Holding Company, a majority-owned subsidiary of Sorrento
Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRNE), Inc., is a commercial-stage,
non-opioid pain management company focused on the development and
commercialization of topical and injectable therapies. Scilex
targets indications with high unmet needs and large market
opportunities with non-opioid therapies for the treatment of
patients with moderate to severe chronic pain. Scilex
launched its first commercial product in October 2018 and is
developing its late-stage pipeline, which includes a pivotal Phase
3 candidate and a Phase 2 candidate. Its commercial product,
ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8%, or ZTlido, is a
prescription lidocaine topical product approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the relief of pain
associated with postherpetic neuralgia, which is a form of
post-shingles nerve pain. Scilex’s two product candidates are
SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel), or
SEMDEXA™, a Phase 3, novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely
used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral
radicular pain, or sciatica, and SP-103 (lidocaine topical system)
5.4%, or SP-103, a Phase 2, next-generation, triple-strength
formulation of ZTlido, for the treatment of chronic low back
pain.
Media and Investor Relations
Contact: Michael Faerm, Chief Business Officer and Interim Chief
Financial Officer, Scilex Holding Company
Telephone: 650-516-4310
Email: mfaerm@scilexpharma.com
ZTlido® is a trademark owned by Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
SEMDEXA™ (SP-102) is a trademark owned by Semnur
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. A proprietary name review by the
FDA is planned.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
Sorrento Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SRNE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Sorrento Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SRNE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024