Raptor Pharmaceutical Expands Board of Directors
01 Oktober 2009 - 12:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
NOVATO, Calif., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Raptor
Pharmaceutical Corp. ("Raptor" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:RPTPD),
today announced the appointment of Llew Keltner, M.D., Ph.D., to
the Company's board of directors. Dr. Keltner is currently CEO and
President of Light Sciences Oncology, a privately-held
biotechnology company developing a late-stage, light-activated
therapy for hepatocellular cancer and other solid tumors. He is
also CEO of EPISTAT, an international healthcare technology
transfer, corporate risk management and healthcare strategy company
that he founded in 1972. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091001/NY85091LOGO)
Christopher M. Starr, Ph.D., CEO of Raptor stated, "On behalf of
the board and the executive management of Raptor, I would like to
welcome Dr. Keltner and his extensive industry experience to our
team. With over 30 years in the healthcare industry, Dr. Keltner's
expertise in cancer and genetic analyses will be extremely valuable
as we work to advance our development programs in various
indications, including cancers, genetic diseases and liver
disorders. Dr. Keltner has also advised health care and financial
companies through the challenges of raising capital and obtaining
approval of new pharmacologic entities. As a newly NASDAQ-listed
company, Raptor is committed to adding talented members to our
well-balanced, experienced, board of directors who are and continue
to be committed to thoughtfully growing the company in an effort to
increase stockholder value." Dr. Keltner has been CEO and President
of Light Sciences Oncology since 2004 and CEO of EPISTAT since
1972. From 1997 to 2004, Dr. Keltner was CEO of Metastat, a
development-stage biotech company focused on control of cancer
metastasis. He is a director on the boards of Infostat, Oregon Life
Sciences, and Goodwell Technologies. Previously, he served on the
boards of directors at Light Sciences Corporation, Vital Choice,
Thesis Technologies, Oread Companies, and MannKind Corporation. He
has also been a scientific advisory board member at Lifetime
Corporation, ASB Meditest, Oread Laboratories, Hall-Kimbrell, and
aai Pharma. Dr. Keltner received an M.S. in Epidemiology and
Biostatistics; Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics and an M.D. from
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member
of the American Society of Clinical Oncology ("ASCO"), American
Medical Association ("AMA"), International Association of Tumor
Marker Oncology, American Association of Clinical Chemistry, and
Drug Information Association. Dr. Keltner has also authored several
research publications on subjects such as: prenatal diagnosis and
effects on parents of a birth defective child; breast and colon
tumor markers; clinical due diligence; light activated drug
therapy; and the application of laboratory data to improve disease
management programs. Dr. Keltner stated, "As a director on Raptor's
board, I look forward to counseling on the design and execution of
upcoming clinical trials pertaining to genetic diseases and cancer.
I am also pleased to work with the company's talented management
team, which has a successful track record in research, development
and commercialization, that I believe will serve as a strong
foundation as Raptor approaches its pivotal clinical trial for its
lead product candidate, DR Cysteamine." About Raptor Pharmaceutical
Corp. Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. (NASDAQ:RPTPD) ("Raptor") is
dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to
patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the
application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and
formulation expertise. Raptor focuses on underserved patient
populations where it can have the greatest potential impact. Raptor
currently has product candidates in clinical development designed
to treat nephropathic cystinosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
("NASH"), Huntington's Disease ("HD"), aldehyde dehydrogenase
("ALDH2") deficiency, and a non-opioid solution designed to treat
chronic pain and potentially thrombotic disorder. Raptor's
preclinical programs are based upon bioengineered novel drug
candidates and drug-targeting platforms derived from the human
receptor-associated protein ("RAP") and related proteins that are
designed to target cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and
infectious diseases. For additional information, please visit
http://www.raptorpharma.com/. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This
document contains forward-looking statements as that term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements relate to future events or our future results of
operation or future financial performance, including, but not
limited to the following statement: that Dr. Keltner's appointment
to the Raptor board will create value for our drug product
candidate programs; that Raptor's board and Raptor will be able to
grow the company and increase stockholder value; that management's
record of research, development and commercialization will serve as
a strong foundation for Raptor's clinical trials and other
development activities; that DR Cysteamine will receive marketing
approval; and that any of Raptor's drug product programs will be
successful. These statements are only predictions and involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause
Raptor's actual results to be materially different from these
forward-looking statements. Raptor cautions readers not to place
undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date they were made. Certain of these risks,
uncertainties, and other factors are described in greater detail in
Raptor's filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), which Raptor strongly urges you to read and
consider, including the joint proxy statement/prospectus on Form
S-4 filed with the SEC on August 19, 2009; Raptor's annual report
on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2009; Raptor's
quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 11,
2009; Raptor's wholly-owned subsidiary's, Raptor Pharmaceuticals
Corp. ("RPC") Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, that
was declared effective on August 7, 2008; RPC's annual report on
Form 10-K filed with the SEC on October 30, 2008, as amended by
that Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on December 23, 2008; and RPC's
quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 15, 2009,
all of which are available free of charge on the SEC's web site at
http://www.sec.gov/. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking
statements attributable to Raptor or to persons acting on its
behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements set forth in Raptor's reports filed with the SEC. Raptor
expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any
forward-looking statements. For more information, please contact:
Kim Tsuchimoto, CFO 415-382-1390 The Ruth Group Sara Ephraim
Pellegrino (investors) / Janine McCargo (media) (646) 536-7002 /
(646) 536-7033 /
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091001/NY85091LOGODATASOURCE:
Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. CONTACT: Kim Tsuchimoto, CFO, Raptor
Pharmaceutical Corp., +1-415-382-1390, ; Investors: Sara Ephraim
Pellegrino, +1-646-536-7002, , Media: Janine McCargo,
+1-646-536-7033, , both of The Ruth Group for Raptor Pharmaceutical
Corp. Web Site: http://www.raptorpharma.com/
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