The News

Barrett Katz, MD, MBA, Appointed EVP & CMO of Fovea Pharmaceuticals

02/05/2006

Paris, France – May, 2nd, 2006 – Fovea Pharmaceuticals SA, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative drugs for the treatment of ocular diseases, with special focus on retinal pathologies, announced today it has appointed Dr. Barrett Katz, MD, MBA as Executive Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer.

Barrett Katz is a renowned Ophthalmologist, with over 25 years of experience in medical practice and academics, clinical trials and medical strategy, drug development and regulatory issues. He brings a distinguished career in neurosciences and academic Ophthalmology and Neurosciences as well as business and finance expertise to Fovea, complementing the company’s commitment to and expertise in the development and commercialization of therapies directed at diseases of the eye.
 
In his new role, Barrett Katz will support Fovea’s efforts to develop a diversified pipeline of products through clinical trials.  His recruitment coincides with Fovea’s recently culminated collaboration with CombinatoRx (Nasdaq : CRXX) to develop novel ophthalmic therapeutics from synergistic drug combinations.  This unique platform will complement Fovea’s ongoing internal discovery programs in ocular therapeutics.

Bernard Gilly, Chairman and CEO of Fovea, said: “We are very proud and excited to welcome Barrett to our team.  His presence will efficiently complement the clinical network developed by Pr. Jose Sahel, co-founder and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Fovea. His outstanding reputation in the global ophthalmologic community and his experience and expertise in the field of clinical development, drug approval and product launch will be key for taking Fovea’s product candidates from clinical trials to market under the best possible conditions.”

Barrett Katz added: “I am honored and delighted to join Fovea Pharmaceuticals at this inflection point in its history, as it moves into active drug development and bringing unique products for the eye into the clinical arena.”

Dr. Barrett Katz has spent the last years as Vice President of Medical Affairs and Medical Strategy at Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, and has been integral to the team that developed Macugen™ and brought it to market.  He shared in their senior leadership team, and helped manage their phase III/IV clinical protocols and trials, their publications strategic working group, and the Macugen™ steering committee alliance, as well as serving in a senior liaison position with Pfizer.  Before that, he served as Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, and as the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at The George Washington University School of Medicine, in Washington, D.C.  While there he formulated and sponsored a joint fellowship in ophthalmic drug development, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Barrett Katz has previously held faculty and leadership positions at several prestigious medical centres, including the University of Rochester and the University of California at San Diego.  He has been on the executive committee of the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial, and has been an active participant and organizer of many multi-centre clinical trials.

A magna cum laude graduate of Colgate University, and an honors graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Dr. Katz first trained in Internal Medicine at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He is fully trained as both an Ophthalmologist and a Neurologist, with a background in medical retina and neuroprotection of the central nervous system.  After serving as a fellow and staff associate at the National Institutes of Health, he completed residencies in both Neurology, at Harvard Medical School, and Ophthalmology, at Tufts-New England Medical Center.  He has served as a fellow at Harvard University in Boston, The National Hospital at Queen’s Square in London, and the University of California at San Francisco.  He holds an M.B.A in Health Care and Finance from the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business, is the author of over 200 publications, and the recipient of over two dozen major research grants. 

About Fovea Pharmaceuticals SA
Fovea Pharmaceuticals SA (Fovea) is a Paris-based biopharmaceutical company specialized in development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of ocular diseases (dry eye, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy), with a special focus on retinal pathologies. Created in May 2005, Fovea has a highly experienced board and management team, including Bernard Gilly, Chairman and CEO, Professor José-Alain Sahel, Chief Scientific Advisor, and Pierre Bélichard, COO. Fovea has been funded by five leading European investors led by Sofinnova Partners and including Abingworth Management, The Wellcome Trust, GIMV and Crédit Agricole Private Equity. Fovea raised a Series A financing round of million (€20.5million) in November 2005 and has initiated last January 31st a collaboration with CombinatoRx to develop novel ophthalmic therapeutics built from synergistic drug combinations. For further information, please visit the