News & Events

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:CXS) announced today that it has appointed Mr. Thomas DeZao to the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. DeZao will commence his position immediately and will lead the company's commercial efforts including sales, marketing and the coordination of manufacturing activities for the launch of omacetaxine in the USA.

"Tom is a highly respected executive in the pharmaceuticals industry and we are delighted that he will be joining ChemGenex as he brings the crucial experience and expertise to lead a successful launch of omacetaxine in the U.S. next year," said Dr. Greg Collier, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. "This is an exciting stage in the company's development; we are on track to complete the submission of our NDA to the U.S. FDA in Q3, 2009 with the European submission to the EMEA due Q4, 2009."

Mr. DeZao has more than 25 years of drug sales and marketing experience and a significant track record of achievement with several pharmaceutical companies who have launched innovative products in the U.S. oncology market. Most recently, Mr. DeZao spent six years at Genitope Corporation as Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Sales, where he created a solid foundation for the commercialization of the MyVax® Personalized Immunotherapy for the treatment of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (f-NHL). Prior to joining Genitope, Mr. DeZao was the Vice President of Marketing and Medical Affairs at Corixa/Coulter Pharmaceuticals Inc, where he played a pivotal role in the highly successful collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline to develop and launch BEXXAR®. Previously Mr. DeZao held commercial positions of increasing responsibility with Asta Medica Inc. and Chiron Corporation.

"I am thrilled to join the ChemGenex team at this pivotal period in the company's development and look forward to this unique opportunity to plan and implement the launch of a new and important oncology product that has the potential to positively impact the lives of leukemia patients," added Thomas DeZao.