SuviCa Inc, Names Jay T. Backstrom, M.D. To Board of Directors
Boulder, Colo. – Feb 23, 2012 – Cancer drug discovery and development company SuviCa Inc. announced today that it has elected Jay T. Backstrom, M.D. to its Board of Directors. Dr. Backstrom is a veteran of the pharmaceutical industry with more than 20 years of drug development experience.
“We are very pleased to have an individual with Jay’s experience and demonstrated excellence in drug development join our board,” said Judith Hemberger, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SuviCa. “Jay brings experience in all stages of the product development process, making him an ideal addition to the SuviCa board. During the last 10 years of his career, his focus was on the advancement of drugs in the field of oncology, so this experience is of special value to SuviCa as we advance our compounds into the clinic.”
From 2008 to the present, Dr. Backstrom held leadership roles in Clinical Development at Celgene, where he is currently Corporate Vice President, Hematology/Oncology. In this role, his responsibilities include leading the global development programs (phase 1-3b) in Hematology/Oncology. Prior to joining Celgene, Dr. Backstrom was responsible for various functions at Boulder-based Pharmion from 2002 to 2008, his final role being Vice President, Global Medical and Safety. Previous experience included positions in Quintiles, Hoechst Marion Roussel and Marion Merrell Dow. He is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, and received a Master of Public Health from the School of Public Health at Saint Louis University. Backstrom is board-certified in internal medicine.
About SuviCa
SuviCa, Inc., an early-stage cancer drug discovery and development company, was co-founded by Tin Tin Su, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who now serves as its CSO. Judith Hemberger, Ph.D., formerly co-founder and COO of Boulder-based Pharmion, joins the senior management team as Chairman and CEO. Working closely with scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, SuviCa is advancing a promising discovery pipeline, based on small molecules initially identified utilizing its proprietary screening technology and targeted to a distinct cellular response. SuviCa’s vision is to discover and develop novel drugs either as stand-alone therapies or to prevent tumor recurrence following treatment with approved anti-cancer therapies. www.suvica.com
Contact: Judy Hemberger, SuviCa, Inc. 913-963-5400, judyhemberger@gmail.com.