CHESHIRE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Board of Directors of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN)
today announced that Leonard Bell, M.D. has been appointed Chairman of
the Board of Directors. Dr. Bell, principal founder of Alexion,
continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
Additionally, R. Douglas Norby has been appointed to the newly created
Board position of Lead Independent Director. Mr. Norby, who was voted
Lead Independent Director by the other independent members of the Board,
has been a Director of Alexion since September 1999. Mr. Norby currently
serves as Chair of the Audit Committee, a member of the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee, and a member of the Risk and Strategy
Committee. Both of these appointments follow the passing of Max Link,
Ph.D., as announced earlier this week, who served as the Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Alexion since December 2002 and as a member of the
Board since the Company's inception in 1992.
"Recognizing Max's important legacy and Alexion's commitment for
continued growth to serve more patients worldwide, it is a great
privilege for me to serve our company as Chairman of the Board of
Directors," said Leonard Bell, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Alexion. "Working from the strong foundation we have built
across nearly 50 countries, we are expanding our mission to develop and
deliver additional life-transforming therapies for patients with
devastating disorders and no effective treatment options. Our entire
organization continues to be focused on urgently bringing breakthrough
innovation to patients around the world who are suffering without hope."
"I am pleased to take on the new role of Lead Independent Director and
look forward to working with Dr. Bell, the other members of the Board,
and Alexion's management team as we collectively strive to transform
patients' lives," said Mr. Norby.
Leonard Bell, M.D.
Leonard Bell, M.D. is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Alexion, and is a principal founder of the Company. Under his leadership
since 1992, Alexion has become a global biopharmaceutical company with
more than 2,000 employees serving patients in nearly 50 countries
through fully integrated research, discovery, development, manufacturing
and commercial capabilities.
Prior to founding Alexion, Dr. Bell was an attending physician at
Yale-New Haven Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine and
Pathology at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he also
received his M.D. degree. He remains on the faculty of the Yale
University School of Medicine as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of
Medicine and Pathology. Dr. Bell received his A.B. degree in Philosophy
from Brown University.
R. Douglas Norby
R. Douglas Norby has been a director of Alexion since September 1999 and
now serves as Lead Independent Director. In addition to serving on
Alexion's Board, he has held positions of increasing responsibility at
many companies, including serving as Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of Tessera, Inc., a provider of intellectual property
for advanced semiconductor packaging, and as Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of Zambeel, Inc., a data storage systems
company. Mr. Norby has also served as Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of Novalux, Inc., a manufacturer of lasers for optical
networks, as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of LSI
Logic Corporation, a semiconductor company, as Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of Mentor Graphics Corporation, a software
company, and as President and Chief Operating Officer at Lucasfilm,
Ltd., an entertainment company. His pharmaceutical experience includes
serving as President of Pharmetrix Corporation, a drug delivery company,
and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Syntex
Corporation, a pharmaceutical company. He currently serves on the Board
of Directors for several other companies, including STATS Chip PAC, Ltd,
Singulex, Inc. and MagnaChip Semiconductor.
Mr. Norby received a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and an
M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
About Alexion
Alexion is a biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients with
severe and rare disorders through the innovation, development and
commercialization of life-transforming therapeutic products. Alexion is
the global leader in complement inhibition and has developed and markets
Soliris® (eculizumab) as a treatment for patients with PNH and aHUS, two
debilitating, ultra-rare and life-threatening disorders caused by
chronic uncontrolled complement activation. Soliris is currently
approved in nearly 50 countries for the treatment of PNH, and in nearly
40 countries for the treatment of aHUS. Alexion is evaluating other
potential indications for Soliris in additional severe and ultra-rare
disorders beyond PNH and aHUS, and is developing other highly innovative
biotechnology product candidates across multiple therapeutic areas. This
press release and further information about Alexion can be found at www.alexionpharma.com.
[ALXN-G]
Alexion:
Media
Irving
Adler, 203-271-8210
Executive Director, Corporate Communications
or
Kim
Diamond, 203-439-9600
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
or
Investors
Elena
Ridloff, 203-699-7722
Executive Director, Investor Relations
Source: Alexion
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