Gemin X Hires Jean Viallet, M.D., Former Group Director of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline, as VP of Clinical Development
Montréal, Canada – February 20, 2003 – Gemin X Biotechnologies Inc., a Montreal-based biotechnology company developing novel cancer treatments based on apoptosis, the natural process of cell death, announced today that Jean Viallet, M.D. has joined the Company as Vice President of Clinical Development. Dr. Viallet, who previously served as Group Director of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline, will be responsible for advancing Gemin X’s lead anti-cancer drug candidate through clinical trials.
“ Jean is an excellent addition to our team. His experience in directing oncology clinical trials and managing relations with the FDA and other regulatory agencies will be invaluable as we advance our lead compound into the clinic in 2003,” said Dan Giampuzzi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gemin X. “He is clearly the right individual to help us structure and run a powerful clinical program for our Bcl-2 pan-inhibitor. We are delighted to have him on board.”
Prior to joining Gemin X, Dr. Viallet held senior positions at GlaxoSmithKline. Most recently he was Group Director, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at GSK and was responsible for the support of Navelbine, a leading cancer therapeutic presently available on the market. In addition, he led development efforts for GSK’s dual kinase inhibitor and played a central role in Corixa’s pursuit of regulatory approval for Bexxar, a radioimmunotherapy presently under review for the treatment of multiply relapsed low-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Dr. Viallet previously held the position of Senior Director of Clinical Oncology at Sanofi-Synthélabo where he managed several clinical development projects including oxaliplatin and rasburicase, both now on the market. Dr. Viallet also held faculty appointments at McGill University and the Université de Montréal, and clinical appointments at the Hôpital Notre-Dame and the Montreal General Hospital. Dr. Viallet has published 50 research and review articles on the molecular biology of cancer and in clinical oncology. He holds degrees in Biology and in Medicine from the Université de Montréal and received his oncology training at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. He is the recipient of several professional and academic awards.
“Gemin X’s small molecule Bcl-2 pan-inhibitor program is one of the most interesting I have seen in my career. I look forward to working with the Company to realize the therapeutic impact of these discoveries,” said Viallet.
Gemin X Biotechnologies Inc. is a Montreal-based biotechnology company that specializes in the modulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis) to discover and develop novel cancer therapeutics. Using its proprietary discovery platform, Gemin X has identified a family of small-molecule pan-inhibitors of the Bcl-2 family, a class of validated drug targets implicated in B cell lymphoma, breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancer. Additionally, the Company has programs dedicated to the discovery of novel cancer therapeutics that act against p53 defective chemo-resistant cancers.
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