GPC Biotech AG announced the appointment of Prabhavathi Fernandes, Ph.D. to its Supervisory Board. Dr. Fernandes has over 25 years of experience in drug discovery and development, having held leadership positions at several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. She most recently served as chief executive officer of Ricerca Biosciences LLC.
Bernd R. Seizinger, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of GPC Biotech, said, "We are delighted to have Dr. Fernandes join our Supervisory Board. Her extensive scientific knowledge and keen business acumen have enabled her throughout her career to turn scientific ideas into commercial opportunities. I look forward to working with her and know she will be a wonderful resource for GPC Biotech."
Dr. Prabhavathi Fernandes said, "I am so pleased to have the opportunity to serve on GPC Biotech's Supervisory Board. This is certainly an exciting time for the Company as it moves its lead compound, satraplatin, into Phase III clinical trials. I look forward to assisting GPC Biotech in any way I can."
Prior to joining Ricerca Biosciences, Dr. Fernandes was a founder and chief executive officer of Small Molecule Therapeutics, which merged with Morphochem AG in 2000. Prior to founding Small Molecule Therapeutics, Dr. Fernandes worked for many years at major pharmaceutical companies, including as vice president, Biomolecular Screening Drug Discovery at Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute. She also worked for Abbott Laboratories and The Squibb Institute for Medical Research.
Dr. Fernandes served on the United States Congressional Panel for Assessment of Impact of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and on the American Society for Microbiology Advisory Panel on Antibiotic Resistance. She was awarded an NIH post-doctoral fellowship to the Fox Chase Cancer Center and received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, Pa., USA). Dr. Fernandes has authored numerous publications and has received many awards for her achievements.
Dr. Fernandes joins the re-elected members of GPC Biotech's Supervisory Board, who are: Jürgen Drews, M.D., chairman; Helmut M. Schühsler, Ph.D.; Metin Colpan, M.D.; Michael Lytton, J.D. and Peter Preuss.