Press Release
Accera Establishes Clinical and Scientific Advisory Boards for Its Pioneering Approach to Alzheimer's Disease
Broomfield, CO, December 14, 2004 - Accera Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced today the formation of a Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) and Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to assist in the Company's product development efforts. Accera is developing a new class of therapeutic products to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative diseases that are often associated with aging.
"We are pleased to have such a distinguished group of experts on our founding advisory boards," said Dr. Steve A. Orndorff, Accera's President and CEO. "The extensive clinical and research experience of these boards will provide expert guidance for the expanded testing of our lead compound, AC-1202, and other small molecules."
"Dr. Ferris is a leader in clinical research and development of new therapies for Alzheimer's disease and dementia," said Dr. Scott Wieland, Vice President of Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs. "As Chairman of the CAB, Dr. Ferris will be guiding the clinical development of AC-1202, and building our advisory board. His clinical and regulatory experience will greatly aid in the commercialization of Accera's pioneering approach to Alzheimer's disease."
The Accera Clinical Advisory Board includes:
Steven H. Ferris, Ph.D.
Dr. Steven H. Ferris is Chairman of the Accera CAB, a Gerald & Dorothy Friedman Professor of the New York University Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Executive Director of the Silberstein Institute for Aging and Dementia at the NYU School of Medicine. In this capacity he leads a staff of 30 persons that have conducted more than 40 sponsored clinical drug trials in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Ferris is a recognized leader in the development of neuropsychometric tests for memory and cognition that are used worldwide for clinical testing of AD drugs and approval by regulatory agencies. During his distinguished career he has authored more than 175 scientific publications and served on the editorial boards of numerous journals on aging and dementia. Dr. Ferris was awarded a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology by City University of New York.
Martin R. Farlow, M.D.
Dr. Martin R. Farlow is Vice Chairman of Research and Professor in Neurology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and Director of the Clinical Core of the Alzheimer's Disease Clinic. His clinical research focuses primarily on AD, therapeutic treatments for dementia, and effective diagnosis of memory and cognitive loss. Dr. Farlow has conducted greater than 100 clinical trials in AD and other dementias. He is highly regarded as a lecturer on the treatment and care of patients with AD. His research has led to more than 250 publications and he currently serves on the editorial boards of numerous journals related to aging, dementia and research. Dr. Farlow received his medical education at Indiana University.
The Accera Scientific Advisory Board includes:
Leif Hertz, M.D., D.Sc.
Dr. Leif Hertz is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Pharmacology at University of Saskatchewan. He is an expert on neuronal metabolism and the dynamics of neuronal-astrocytic interactions. Dr. Hertz has more than 320 scientific publications and has served on the editorial boards of five prestigious journals of neuroscience. He has held continuous grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada and has received numerous awards for his achievements in neurochemistry research. Dr. Hertz received his M.D. from University of Copenhagen and D.Sc. from University of Odense.
Thomas E. Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Thomas E. Johnson is Professor of Molecular Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado. He is one of the world's leading experts on the biology of aging and has authored more than 230 scientific publications. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Aging Association, the National Scientific Advisory Council for the American Federation for Aging Research and was recently an Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar. Dr. Johnson has served on the editorial review board for a number of scientific publications including section editor for the Journal of Neurobiology of Aging and Associate Editor for the Journal of Experimental Gerontology. He received his B.Sc. degree from M.I.T. and Ph.D. in genetics from University of Washington.
###