SAN DIEGO, Sept. 22, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celladon Corporation (Nasdaq: CLDN ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company applying its leadership position in the field of gene therapy and calcium dysregulation, today announced it has appointed Scott Garrett as Vice President, Commercial Planning, a newly created position.
Mr. Garrett brings 20 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience, a majority which has been focused on the commercialization of novel cardiovascular products. Prior to Celladon, Mr. Garrett served as Vice President, Marketing, Hospital Division for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (previously Cadence Pharmaceuticals) from 2011 to 2014. From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Garrett served as Senior Director, Marketing of Gilead Sciences, Inc. and from 2007 to 2009, Mr. Garrett served as Senior Director, Marketing of CV Therapeutics, Inc., which merged into Gilead Sciences. At CV Therapeutics/Gilead, Mr. Garrett played a senior role in the launch of Ranexa® for the treatment of chronic angina. From 2002 to 2007 Mr. Garrett held a range of cardiovascular marketing roles, including Director, Marketing for Scios Inc. which was acquired by Johnson and Johnson in 2004. At Scios, Mr. Garrett was involved in the launch of Natrecor® for the treatment of Acute Heart Failure and managed the ADHERE® National Heart Failure Registry. Prior to Scios, Mr. Garrett served in a variety of Sales, Marketing, Analytics and Product Development roles at Boston Scientific Inc. and Nycomed Amersham (now GE Health). Mr. Garrett received a B.S. in marketing from San Diego State University in 1991 and an M.B.A. from U.C. Irvine in 2001.
"Scott brings a solid track record of several successful commercial product launches in the cardiology arena and we look forward to Scott's contribution and leadership as we continue to advance the MYDICAR program towards commercialization," said Krisztina Zsebo, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Celladon.
Added Mr. Garrett, "I am thrilled to join the Celladon team at this exciting time for the Company. MYDICAR has the potential to greatly impact the treatment landscape in advanced heart failure. I look forward to helping Celladon realize the full commercial potential of its breakthrough therapy. "
About Celladon
Celladon is a clinical-stage biotechnology company applying its leadership position in the field of gene therapy and calcium dysregulation to develop novel therapies for diseases with tremendous unmet medical needs. Our lead programs target SERCA enzymes which are a family of enzymes that play an integral part in the regulation of intra-cellular calcium in all human cells. Calcium dysregulation is implicated in a number of important and complex medical conditions and diseases, such as heart failure, vascular disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. MYDICAR, the Company's most advanced product candidate, uses gene therapy to target SERCA2a, which is an enzyme that becomes deficient in patients with heart failure. Celladon has completed enrollment of a 250 patient Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of MYDICAR in reducing the frequency of, or delaying heart failure-related hospitalizations. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational trial is evaluating a single intracoronary infusion of MYDICAR versus placebo added to a maximal, optimized heart failure regimen in patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV symptoms of chronic heart failure due to systolic dysfunction. The Company has received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA for this MYDICAR program and expects to report results from the Phase 2b clinical trial in April 2015. In addition, Celladon has identified a number of potential first-in-class compounds addressing novel targets in diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases with its small molecule platform of SERCA2b modulators. For more information, please visit www.celladon.com .
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Celladon's plans to research, develop and commercialize product candidates, as well as the future commercial potential of MYDICAR and its potential impact on the advanced heart failure treatment landscape. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Celladon's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with the process of conducting product development activities and clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to commercialize product candidates, our reliance on third parties, the need to raise additional funding when needed in order to conduct our business, and the degree of market acceptance of MYDICAR by physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Celladon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Celladon undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Fredrik Wiklund Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1- 858-432-7215
