Full Press Release Details
[Letterhead of Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.]
Contact: Nicholas J. Rossettos, CPA Thomas Redington
Chief Financial Officer Redington, Inc.
Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 203/222-7399
212/582 3950 212/926-1733
MANHATTAN PHARMACEUTICALS NAMES
ALAN HARRIS CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
---------------------------------
NEW YORK, NY FEB. 1, 2006 - Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(AMEX: MHA) announced that Alan G. Harris, MD, PhD has been named
Chief Medical Officer of the company.
Dr. Harris brings more than 20 years of experience in clinical
drug development. Beginning in 2004, Dr. Harris was head of the
Worldwide Medical Endocrine Care group at Pfizer, Inc. (New York, NY)
where he oversaw the clinical development of the growth hormone
Genotropin(R), the growth hormone antagonist Somavert(R), and the
leading international medical outcomes database containing information
about growth hormone treatment in children (KIGS) and adults (KIMS).
Prior to that he served in a number of capacities at Schering-Plough
Corporation (Kenilworth, NJ) from 1995 to 2004, most recently as vice
president, Global Healthcare Research & Outcomes.
While at Schering-Plough, Dr. Harris directed the company's
Medical Affairs clinical research efforts in the development of
products for the treatment of allergic and respiratory diseases,
hypercholesterolemia, and hepatitis.
Dr. Harris served as International Clinical Project Leader for
Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Novartis) in Basel, Switzerland where he
developed octreotide (Sandostatin(R)), the first clinically useful,
long-acting somatostatin analog approved worldwide for the treatment of
gastrointestinal endocrine tumors and acromegaly. His additional
research activities at Sandoz were focused on the role of somatostatin
analogs in gastrointestinal and liver diseases, oncology, diabetes
mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and neurology.
"We are delighted to have an individual with Alan's background
join us," said Douglas Abel, president and chief executive officer of
Manhattan Pharmaceuticals. "He is a proven leader and an expert in
clinical development strategy. His skills will be extremely valuable as
we continue to advance our product candidates."
Dr. Harris received an MD degree cum laude from the Louis Pasteur
Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg, France and a PhD in
Endocrinology from Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His
distinguished academic career includes current positions as adjunct
professor of medicine at NYU Medical School and visiting professor of
medicine in the Department of Endocrinology at Liege University Medical
School, Belgium and in the department of Pharmacology and Clinical
Toxicology at the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dr. Harris is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the
Royal College of Physicians (UK), and the American College of Clinical
Pharmacology. He serves as trustee of the Hospital for Joint
Diseases-NYU Medical Center and is the author of several hundred
publications, including peer-reviewed scientific papers, abstracts,
books, reviews and editorials in the fields of endocrinology, oncology,
cardiology, immunology, and respiratory medicine.
About Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.manhattanpharma.com), a
development-stage pharmaceutical company, acquires and develops
proprietary prescription drugs for large, underserved patient
populations. In view of the worldwide obesity epidemic, the company is
developing OE, an orally administered novel therapeutic for weight
loss. To meet the needs of other major, underserved medical markets
while lowering development risks, Manhattan Pharmaceuticals also
developing PTH (1-34), a peptide believed to be a regulator of
epidermal cell growth, for psoriasis and Propofol Lingual Spray, a
convenient, proprietary lingual spray formulation of propofol, the
world's best-selling general anesthetic, as a sedative-hypnotic for use
during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
statements are valid only as of today, and we disclaim any obligation
to update this information. These statements are subject to known and
unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future experience
and results to differ materially from the statements made. These
statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations as to such
future outcomes. Drug discovery and development involve a high degree
of risk. Factors that might cause such a material difference include,
among others, uncertainties related to the ability to attract and
retain partners for our technologies, the identification of lead
compounds, the successful preclinical development thereof, the
completion of clinical trials, the FDA review process and other
governmental regulation, our pharmaceutical collaborator's ability to
successfully develop and commercialize drug candidates, competition
from other pharmaceutical companies, product pricing and third party
reimbursement, and other factors described in our filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.