Cara Therapeutics Appoints Joana Goncalves, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer
October 23 2018 - 6:00AM
- Former VP of Medical Affairs for
Dermatology at Celgene to lead development of KORSUVA™ in
dermatological conditions -
Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CARA), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities
with a primary focus on the treatment of pruritus by selectively
targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors, today announced the
appointment of Joana Goncalves, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer
(CMO). Dr. Joseph Stauffer, Cara’s former CMO, will transition to a
consulting role for the Company.
“We are very pleased to welcome Joana to the
Cara team. She brings a wealth of clinical development and medical
affairs expertise with novel dermatology products, which will be
invaluable as we execute the late-stage development of KORSUVA™ in
chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus, and further expand our
clinical program into dermatologic conditions such as atopic
dermatitis,” said Derek Chalmers, Ph.D., D.Sc., President and Chief
Executive Officer of Cara Therapeutics. “We would also like to
thank Joe Stauffer for all of his significant contributions to the
Company over the last four years.”
“I am thrilled to join the leadership team at
Cara at such an exciting stage in the development of KORSUVA,” said
Dr. Goncalves. “Pruritus associated with dermatological diseases
remains a prevalent clinical issue and, based on both clinical and
preclinical data to date, I believe KORSUVA offers great potential
to address this significant unmet need.”
Dr. Goncalves brings more than 17 years of
leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to Cara.
Most recently, she served as Vice President, Medical Affairs for
Dermatology and Neurology at Celgene Corporation where she was
instrumental in planning and executing medical support activities
for a number of programs, including OTEZLA® for psoriatic
arthritis. Previously, Dr. Goncalves held the position of Vice
President, Medical Strategy and Scientific Affairs at LEO Pharma
Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of LEO Pharma A/S. She began her
pharmaceutical career at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, working on a
range of products across various therapeutic areas. Dr. Goncalves
received her M.D. from the University of Cape Town, South
Africa.
OTEZLA® is a registered trademark of Celgene
Corporation.
About Cara Therapeutics
Cara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing
new chemical entities designed to alleviate pruritus and pain by
selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors (KORs).
Cara is developing a novel and proprietary class of product
candidates, led by KORSUVA™ (CR845/difelikefalin), a first-in-class
KOR agonist that targets the body's peripheral nervous system, as
well as certain immune cells. In Phase 2 trials, KORSUVA injection
has demonstrated statistically significant reductions in itch
intensity and concomitant improvement in quality of life measures
in hemodialysis patients with moderate-to-severe chronic kidney
disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP), and is currently being
investigated in Phase 3 trials in hemodialysis patients with
CKD-aP. Additionally, in a recently completed Phase 2/3 trial in
post-operative patients, I.V. CR845/difelikefalin has demonstrated
reduction in moderate-to-severe pain, while also reducing the
incidence and intensity of nausea and vomiting throughout the
post-operative period.
The FDA has conditionally accepted KORSUVA™ as
the trade name for difelikefalin injection.
CR845/difelikefalin is an investigational drug product and
its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any
regulatory authority.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release
regarding matters that are not historical facts are
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of these
forward-looking statements include statements concerning the future
development of the Company’s product candidates, including the
potential of CR845 to address medical needs in a range of pruritic
conditions. Because such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks are
described more fully in Cara's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section of Cara's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2016 and its other documents subsequently filed with or
furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All
forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak
only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent
required by law, Cara undertakes no obligation to update such
statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist
after the date on which they were made.
MEDIA CONTACT: Annie Starr 6 Degrees
973-415-8838 astarr@6degreespr.com
INVESTOR CONTACT: Michael Schaffzin Stern
Investor Relations, Inc. 212-362-1200 michael@sternir.com
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