ALLSCHWIL/BASEL, SWITZERLAND - 15 May 2017 - Actelion Ltd (SIX: ATLN) today announced changes to its executive team that would only take effect upon closing of the transaction with Johnson & Johnson expected towards the end of the second quarter 2017.
Johnson & Johnson has appointed Jane Griffiths as the Global Head of Actelion, to take effect upon closing of the transaction.
Dr. Griffiths, PhD has served as the Company Group Chairman, Janssen EMEA, since January 2011. Prior to leading Janssen EMEA, she was responsible for the EMEA Market Access unit. She has also served as International Vice President for Janssen-Cilag Northern Europe; Vice President, EMEA Biopharmaceuticals; and Managing Director, Ortho Biotech UK & Ireland.
Otto Schwarz, PhD, will retire from his position as Chief Operating Officer, upon close of the transaction. He will work closely with Jane Griffiths as senior advisor for the 12 months following the completion of the transaction on the smooth integration of Actelion into Janssen/Johnson & Johnson and the seamless execution of Actelion's commercial strategies to maintain the strong momentum.
Jean-Paul Clozel, MD, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "I would like to thank Otto for his very significant contributions to the success of Actelion in the almost 9 years since he joined the company. Under his leadership Tracleer was built into a global brand with almost 1.7 billion Swiss francs in peak sales. He also led and managed the highly successful launches of Opsumit, Uptravi and Veletri, thus replacing the leading drug in the category with a diversified, outcome-based portfolio, which has a strong long-term growth potential to achieve leading positions in shaping the treatment paradigms in PAH, an achievement which is a rare feat in our industry."
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NOTES TO EDITORS Actelion Ltd. Actelion Ltd. is a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative drugs for diseases with significant unmet medical needs.
Actelion is a leader in the field of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our portfolio of PAH treatments covers the spectrum of disease, from WHO Functional Class (FC) II through to FC IV, with oral, inhaled and intravenous medications. Although not available in all countries, Actelion has treatments approved by health authorities for a number of specialist diseases including Type 1 Gaucher disease, Niemann-Pick type C disease, Digital Ulcers in patients suffering from systemic sclerosis, and mycosis fungoides in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Founded in late 1997, with now over 2,600 dedicated professionals covering all key markets around the world including the US, Japan, China, Russia and Mexico, Actelion has its corporate headquarters in Allschwil / Basel, Switzerland.
Actelion shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: ATLN). All trademarks are legally protected.
For further information please contact:
Andrew C. Weiss Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Gewerbestrasse 16, CH-4123 Allschwil +41 61 565 62 62 www.actelion.com
The above information contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "believes", "expects", "may", "are expected to", "will", "will continue", "should", "would be", "seeks", "pending" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of the company's investment and research and development programs and anticipated expenditures in connection therewith, descriptions of new products expected to be introduced by the company and anticipated customer demand for such products and products in the company's existing portfolio. Such statements reflect the current views of the company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
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