NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITCI ), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announced the expansion of the senior leadership team with the appointment of Suresh Durgam M.D as Senior Vice President, Late Stage Clinical Development and Medical Affairs. Dr. Durgam, brings over 15 years of experience in neuropsychiatric drug development, including the development of antipsychotics and antidepressants.
Dr. Durgam most recently served in clinical development leadership roles at Allergan plc where he was the clinical lead responsible for development of treatments for mood disorders including rapid-acting antidepressant programs. Dr. Durgam was also the clinical development lead of the antipsychotic, cariprazine, advancing the compound from Phase I to approval in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Dr. Durgam graduated with his medical degree from the Siddhartha Medical College in India and received his residency training in psychiatry at Scott & White Clinic and Hospital – Texas A&M University System College of Medicine.
“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Durgam to Intra-Cellular as he brings additional expertise to our clinical programs. We believe his contributions will be invaluable as we continue to advance lumateperone and our pipeline,” said Dr. Andrew Satlin, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Intra-Cellular Therapies.
“I am excited to join Intra-Cellular Therapies. Lumateperone has a novel mechanism of action with the potential to address unmet medical needs in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, agitation associated with dementia, and depression,” stated Dr. Durgam. “I look forward to contributing to the success of these programs and further broadening our scope into additional therapeutic areas.”
About Intra-Cellular Therapies
Intra-Cellular Therapies is developing novel drugs for the treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and diseases of the elderly, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The Company is developing its lead drug candidate, lumateperone (also known as ITI-007), for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, behavioral disturbances in patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, depression and other neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Lumateperone, a first-in-class molecule, is in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar depression and agitation associated with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The Company is also utilizing its phosphodiesterase (PDE) platform and other proprietary chemistry platforms to develop drugs for the treatment of CNS and other disorders. The lead molecule in the Company's PDE1 portfolio, ITI-214, is in development for the treatment of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease and for the treatment of heart failure.
Contact:
Juan Sanchez, M.D.
Vice President
Corporate Communications and Investor Relations of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.
Phone: 646-440-9333
