SAN DIEGO, March 26, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zogenix, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZGNX), a pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products for the treatment of pain-related conditions and central nervous system disorders, announced today that James B. Breitmeyer, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed as a new member of the Company's Board of Directors.
Cam L. Garner, Chairman of the Board, said, "We are pleased to welcome Dr. Breitmeyer to the Zogenix Board of Directors. He has a strong track record in the industry and has a unique understanding of Zogenix from his time with the Company in preparation for an FDA advisory committee meeting. His experience will be valuable as Zogenix continues to develop its new product pipeline."
Dr. Breitmeyer currently serves as President of Bavarian Nordic, Inc., a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and producing novel immunotherapy candidates for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. He is also Executive Vice President of Bavarian A/S, a multinational corporation headquartered in Denmark, that is highly specialized in the research, development and manufacturing of vaccines and immunotherapy regimens for biodefense, infectious diseases and oncology. He previously served as the acting Chief Medical Officer of Zogenix, Inc. in an advisory capacity, the Executive Vice President of Development and Chief Medical Officer of Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and the Chief Medical Officer of Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company.
Dr. Breitmeyer has also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Harvard Clinical Research Institute and held a variety of positions at Serono Laboratories, Inc., including Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Prior to Serono Laboratories, Dr. Breitmeyer served as a consultant to ImmunoGen, Inc., and held clinical and teaching positions at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Breitmeyer holds a B.A. in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an M.D. and Ph.D. from Washington University School of Medicine and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Oncology.
Dr. Breitmeyer commented, "I am very pleased to join the Zogenix Board of Directors as the Company begins a new phase of clinical development. I look forward to working with the Board and management as the Company expands its pipeline opportunities."
About Zogenix
Zogenix, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZGNX), with offices in San Diego and Emeryville, California, is a pharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing therapies that address specific clinical needs for people living with pain-related conditions and central nervous system disorders who need innovative treatment alternatives to help them return to normal daily functioning. More information about Zogenix is available at www.zogenix.com.