SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achaogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel antibacterials addressing multi-drug resistant (MDR) gram-negative infections, today announced the addition of Ms. Janet Dorling as Chief Commercial Officer effective today. Ms. Dorling will report to Blake Wise, Achaogen’s President and Chief Operating Officer.
“We are very pleased to welcome Janet to the Achaogen team at this pivotal time, as we pursue regulatory approval of our lead product candidate, plazomicin, for the treatment of serious bacterial infections due to MDR Enterobacteriaceae, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae,” said Mr. Wise. “Janet is a highly effective commercial strategist with proven experience in driving global commercial success, including hands-on experience leading a large hospital-based products business in the U.S. With her proven ability to build and lead cross-functional teams, Janet’s appointment to this role fortifies our management team and underscores Achaogen’s commitment to commercialize new treatment options for serious MDR gram-negative infections.”
Ms. Dorling brings to Achaogen more than 14 years of experience in commercial sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products. Most recently, Ms. Dorling was the Vice President of Global Product Strategy, Breast Cancer at Roche/Genentech. In this role, Ms. Dorling was responsible for developing and implementing global commercialization and lifecycle strategies for the Breast Cancer Franchise. Previously, as Vice President of the Lytics Franchise, Ms. Dorling led hospital-focused Sales and Marketing teams that delivered double-digit revenue growth to achieve over one billion dollars in revenue in the acute care setting. Ms. Dorling has also led the Market Analysis and Strategy group at Genentech with portfolio-wide responsibility.
Ms. Dorling has a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master’s in Science in Pharmacology and Cancer Biology from Duke University, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley.
“The CDC has characterized carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae as ‘nightmare bacteria’ and an immediate public health threat and, unfortunately, patients with serious MDR gram-negative infections have limited therapeutic options,” said Ms. Dorling. “I look forward to joining the committed and passionate team at Achaogen to deliver on the Company’s commercial objectives for plazomicin and to contribute to advancing an exciting pipeline.”
About Achaogen
Achaogen is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company passionately committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibacterial treatments for MDR gram-negative infections. Achaogen is developing plazomicin, Achaogen’s lead product candidate, for the treatment of serious bacterial infections due to MDR Enterobacteriaceae, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Achaogen’s plazomicin program is funded in part with a contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Plazomicin is the first clinical candidate from Achaogen’s gram-negative antibiotic discovery engine, and Achaogen has other programs in early and late preclinical stages focused on other MDR gram-negative infections. All product candidates are investigational only and have not been approved for commercialization. For more information, please visit www.achaogen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, Achaogen’s expectations regarding potential regulatory approval of plazomicin, Achaogen’s commercial objectives and Achaogen’s pipeline of product candidates. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Achaogen's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the preclinical and clinical development process; the risks and uncertainties of the regulatory approval process; the risks and uncertainties of commercialization and gaining market acceptance; the risk when bacteria will evolve resistance to plazomicin; Achaogen's reliance on third-party contract manufacturing organizations to manufacture and supply its product candidates and certain raw materials used in the production thereof; risk of third party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate Achaogen's patents or proprietary rights; and the risk that Achaogen's proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect its technologies and product candidates. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward- looking statements, as well as risks relating to Achaogen's business in general, see Achaogen's current and future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. Achaogen does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.