PORTLAND, Ore., July 15, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Znomics, Inc. (OTCBB:ZNOM), a pioneer in the development of the zebrafish as a vertebrate genetic platform to accelerate drug discovery, announced today the appointment of Charles N. Blitzer to its board of directors, increasing the membership to five.
"Charles is an accomplished business leader in the life sciences industry and brings a wealth of business acumen to Znomics in the areas of capital raising, licensing, and strategic planning," said Richard Sessions, chief executive officer of Znomics. "We are delighted to have him on our board and look forward to his contributions as we prepare for our next phase of growth."
Blitzer, 67, joins Znomics with more than 30 years in executive leadership positions in the pharmaceutical industry, having led many public and private companies from start-up to profitability, including Barbeau Pharma, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company; Fulcrum Pharma, Inc., a privately held drug design and development company; and MGI Pharma, Inc., a publicly-traded oncology-focused pharmaceutical company.
From 1989 to 1992, Blitzer was with Marion Merrill Dow, Inc., last serving as vice president, corporate development where he was responsible for worldwide licensing and business development activities. At Marion Laboratories, from 1977 to 1989, he was vice president of licensing and business development where he served on the company's strategic planning task force and was a key player in completing the merger between Marion and Merrill Dow; director of licensing; and general and patent counsel.
Blitz holds a Masters in Business Administration from Rockhurst College, Kansas City, Missouri, a Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law, and a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Toledo.
About Znomics
Znomics, Inc. is focused on identifying and developing new pharmaceutical products for treatment of human disorders and diseases. The company's drug discovery platform is based on its catalogued library of mutations in the zebrafish, called the ZeneMark Library. The library, the first in a vertebrate, currently contains more than 11,000 strains of fish representing mutations in approximately half of the known genome. Zebrafish share 80% - 90% of the same genes as humans. The company is leveraging this technology for its internal drug discovery efforts as well as establishing collaborative partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and universities. For more information, visit www.znomics.com
Forward-Looking Statements
With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, the matters described herein are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, including statements as to industry trends, future economic performance, anticipated profitability, anticipated revenues or expenses, and products or service line growth, may be significantly and materially impacted by certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, failure to execute on the strategic plan, failure to meet operating objectives or to execute the operating plan, competition, and other economic factors, risks regarding product development, the timing and results of clinical trials, the regulatory approval process, capital requirements, financial condition, patent protection and dependence on third parties for development and licensing arrangements. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available online at www.sec.gov. Znomics undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information, visit our website at www.znomics.com