Appointment of Jonathan Emms as COO
Circassia Appoints Industry Veteran Jonathan Emms as
Chief Operating Officer
Ø COO to join Board and SVP R&D to step down as Director reflecting Company's commercial focus
Oxford, UK - 12 August 2019: Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc ("Circassia" or "the Company"; LSE: CIR), a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on respiratory disease, today announces the appointment of Jonathan Emms to the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO he will further strengthen Circassia's commercial focus and lead the Company's global commercial strategy and operational management. He will also join the Company's Board as an Executive Director when he joins Circassia on 2 September 2019. At the same time Circassia's Senior Vice President of R&D, Dr Rod Hafner, will step down from the Board after 11 years as a Director, reflecting the Company's commercial focus now the approval process for Duaklir® and Tudorza®'s sNDA are complete. He will remain a key member of Circassia's Senior Management Team and will continue in his role leading the Company's business development, supply chain, medical affairs, regulatory and quality activities.
Chief Commercial Officer
Jonathan Emms is an established commercial leader who brings significant senior-level experience of the global pharmaceutical industry to Circassia. Prior to joining the Company, he was Chief Commercial Officer for Pfizer's Internal Medicines organisation, where he led commercial activities across the company's global operations. Previously, he held a number of senior positions at Pfizer, including Head of Marketing for its Global Established Pharmaceutical Business and Head of Marketing for Specialty Care, Europe, and oversaw the UK launch of Spiriva® under the company's co-promotion agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim. He was also Country Manager in the UK, Pfizer's largest affiliate outside the United States, where he had responsibility for manufacturing, research and commercial operations and during his tenure was elected President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Prior to his time at Pfizer, Jonathan held several roles of increasing responsibility at GSK, where he gained significant respiratory experience, including leading the UK launch of Serevent® in COPD. He holds a BSc in Materials Technology from Coventry University, UK.
Steve Harris, Circassia's Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted to welcome Jonathan to Circassia. With his impressive track record building and leading successful commercial operations around the world, including for many years in the United States, he will make a valuable contribution to the Company as we continue our drive for growth. With our preparations well advanced for the forthcoming US launch of Duaklir®, the ongoing establishment of our new Chinese sales team in the marketplace and our growing commercial presence in Europe, we look forward to Jonathan leading our commercial strategy. At the same time, we thank Rod for his major contribution to the Company, managing Circassia's input into the successful Duaklir® NDA and Tudorza® sNDA and leading our R&D activities over many years. Following our recent transition into a commercially-focused business, we are delighted that Rod will continue as a member of Circassia's Senior Management Team, leading our business development, supply chain, medical affairs, regulatory and quality activities."
Dr Francesco Granata, Circassia's Non-Executive Chairman, said: "I would like to warmly welcome Jonathan to Circassia and to the Board, and we look forward to benefiting from his extensive commercial expertise gained in the US, Europe and globally. As Circassia completes its transition into a commercially-focused organisation, Jonathan will play a key role driving both our commercial and operational capabilities. At the same time, I would like to thank Rod for his many years of contribution to the Board, and we are delighted he will continue to play an important role in the Company's leadership team supporting our commercial operations. Circassia has undergone a period of major change over recent years, and these Board changes reflect the Company's unwavering focus on building a successful commercial business."
Jonathan Emms, Circassia's Chief Operating Officer, said: "I am thrilled to join Circassia at this exciting time of transition and growth for the Company. I am impressed with the team's ambition and clear drive to build a highly successful specialty pharmaceutical business, and am certain that with my international commercial experience and knowledge of the respiratory market I can make a significant contribution helping Circassia achieve its goal. With a strong commercial platform, imminent launch of its next product in the US and ambition to further grow its portfolio, I am confident Circassia is well positioned for long-term success."
Pursuant to the AIM Rules for Companies Schedule Two, paragraph (g), Jonathan Charles Emms, aged 55, was in the last five years formerly a Director of Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Neusentis Limited, John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Pfizer PFE UK Limited, ABPI (UK) Limited. There are no further disclosures in relation to Schedule Two, paragraph (g).
Contacts
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Circassia Steve Harris, Chief Executive Officer Julien Cotta, Chief Financial Officer Rob Budge, Corporate Communications
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Tel: +44 (0)1865 405560
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Peel Hunt (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) James Steel / Dr Christopher Golden
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Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
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Numis Securities (Joint Broker) James Black / Freddie Barnfield
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Tel: +44 (0) 20 7260 1000
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FTI Consulting Simon Conway / Ciara Martin |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727 1000
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About Circassia
Circassia is a world-class specialty pharmaceutical business focused on respiratory disease. The Company sells its market-leading NIOX® asthma management products directly to specialists in the United States, United Kingdom, China and Germany, and in a wide range of other countries through its network of partners. In the United States, Circassia has a commercial collaboration with AstraZeneca in which it has the commercial rights to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatments Tudorza® and Duaklir®. Circassia also has the US and Chinese commercial rights to the late-stage ventilator-compatible nitric oxide product AirNOvent. For more information please visit www.circassia.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains certain projections and other forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, businesses and prospects of Circassia. The use of terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "estimate", "intend", "continue", "target" or "believe" and similar expressions (or the negatives thereof) are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any of the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements could prove inaccurate or incorrect and therefore any results contemplated in the forward-looking statements may not actually be achieved. Nothing contained in this press release should be construed as a profit forecast or profit estimate. Investors or other recipients are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained herein. Circassia undertakes no obligation to update or revise (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or other circumstances.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
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