BEVERLY, MA--(Marketwired - March 15, 2017) - BioVie Inc. (BIVI), a development-stage company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative drug therapies for liver disease, is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie G. Anderson as an independent member of the Company's Board of Directors. Ms. Anderson brings an impressive experience base in the pharma/biotech industry to BioVie. She also invested personally in the Company.
Ms. Anderson most recently served Catheter Connections, Inc. as its Vice President of Marketing until the company was sold last month. Previously she was Senior Director of Marketing for Durata Therapeutics, Inc., playing a key role in helping build the infrastructure and commercialization plan necessary to launch the novel antibiotic Dalvance. The team's efforts led to an acquisition of the company in 2014 by Actavis (now Allergan) in a deal valued at about $675 million.
Prior to Durata, Julie worked for Sanofi-Synthelabo, Inc., Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and G.D. Searle in various marketing leadership positions. She originally trained as a nurse and earned a Masters of Management at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. As a critical care nurse, Julie treated patients at risk of death due to complications caused by chronic liver cirrhosis, and deeply understands the unmet medical need targeted by BioVie.
"I'm looking forward to working with Julie again," commented CEO Jonathan Adams. "Years ago I worked with her when she led global brand development for Celebrex at Searle. She has tremendous expertise in new drug and market development, underpinned by remarkable skills at devising and executing product commercialization strategies and programs. Combined with her first-hand experience in treating liver cirrhosis patients, she's a perfect fit for helping BioVie advance BIV201 therapy."
BioVie recently submitted a complete response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), addressing the issues identified in the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) clinical hold letter received by the Company in January. If notified by the FDA that clinical development of BIV201 may proceed, BioVie expects to commence a mid-stage (Phase 1b) clinical trial in US ascites patients in the next few months.
About BioVie Inc.
BioVie Inc. is a development-stage company pursuing the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative drug therapies. The Company is currently focused on commercializing BIV201, a novel approach to the treatment of ascites due to chronic liver cirrhosis. In late 2016, BioVie submitted an investigational new drug (IND) application to the FDA for BIV201 and is awaiting clearance to begin a clinical trial program. This new drug candidate could potentially enter a mid-stage (Phase 1b) US clinical trial in the first half of 2017. BIV201 has the potential to improve the health of thousands of patients suffering from life-threatening complications of liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis, NASH, and alcoholism. It has Orphan Drug designation for the most common of these complications, ascites, which represents a significant unmet medical need. The FDA has never approved any drug specifically for treating ascites. For more information about BioVie and BIV201, please visit our website: www.biovieinc.com.