CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Names New CEO

CoLucid is a development stage biopharmaceutical company developing new treatment for migraine headaches, pain and other neurological disorders.

Previously, White served in various senior management roles at Eli Lilly and Co. and chief operating officer for Hyperion, Inc. CoLucid also announced several other staff additions.

Source: Inside INdiana Business

Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, October 25, 2006 – CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company developing new treatment for migraine headaches, pain and other neurological disorders, has announced James F. White, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, White has been elected to serve as a member of the CoLucid Board of Directors.

White is in charge of leading day-to-day activities of the company, including managing the progression of the initial migraine compound and the company’s existing portfolio of pharmaceutical therapies.

In addition to White, CoLucid has hired Nadia Rupniak, Ph.D., as Executive Director of Project and Alliance Management. Rupniak has 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry at Merck and was formerly head of project management at Dynogen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a start-up located in North Carolina.

Joining White and Rupniak on the management team is Barbara Dearry, who is the Director of Operations. Dearry has a significant amount of experience in small biotech operations, with over 20 years in operations and administration in biotechnology and pharmaceutical ventures.

“The investors are pleased to have recruited an executive with Jim’s relevant experiences and leadership capabilities to lead CoLucid,” said Arthur Pappas, Chairman of the CoLucid Board of Directors and Managing Partner of Pappas Ventures. “Jim and his team have the experience to move this company forward in its growth and development.”

CoLucid has also assembled a Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board. Joining White and Pappas on the Board of Directors is Jesse I. Treu, Partner, Domain Associates.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board are Peter J. Goadsby, Professor of Clinical Neurology, The National Hospital, London; J. David Leander, a retired Lilly Research Fellow; Nabih M. Ramadan, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology, Rosalind Franklin University and Alison J. Pilgrim, who brings outstanding clinical development insight to CoLucid from her years of experience at Glaxo and other pharmaceutical companies. She also serves as Chief Medical Officer for CoLucid.

White received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Purdue University. Following completion of his work at Purdue, White joined Eli Lilly and Company as a Senior Toxicologist, where he was responsible for the toxicological evaluation of several new drugs targeted for cardiovascular disease, central nervous system disorders and cancer. Over a 20 year career at Lilly, White held several senior management positions in the company’s central nervous system drug discovery and development programs.

In 2001, White joined Hypnion, Inc., a biotech company in the Boston-area as Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Operating Officer. In that role, he led a multi-disciplinary team to discover and develop new non-addicting sleep and wake promoting medications.

“I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board to help set the future direction of CoLucid,” said White. “Their support and involvement is so important and I am pleased to be working with such a talented group of scientific and business leaders.”

Pappas Ventures seed funded and formed CoLucid. The company was formed with a novel clinical stage migraine compound licensed from Eli Lilly and Company and the acquisition of a novel chemistry platform from an East-coast biotech company

The Series A financing was co-led by Pappas Ventures and New Jersey-based Domain Associates with other investors including Triathlon Medical Ventures and Pearl Street Venture Funds. Pappas Ventures, Triathlon and Pearl Street are all part of the $73 million Indiana Future Fund, a fund-of-funds focused on early-stage Indiana life sciences investment opportunities.

About CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CoLucid Pharmaceuticals is a early stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing therapeutics for the treatment of neurological disorders.

Source: CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, Inc.