d Nassif Joins Histogen as President and CFO
Company Poised to Reach Clinical and Business Development Milestones
SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2011 - Histogen, Inc., a regenerative medicine company developing solutions based on the products of cells grown under simulated embryonic conditions, announced today that David Nassif, J.D. has joined the Company as President and Chief Financial Officer. Histogen welcomes Mr. Nassif as the Company prepares for the start of its Phase I/ II clinical trial of HSC for hair growth, raises additional capital and directs new focus on achieving business development goals. In this capacity, Mr. Nassif will oversee the business development, finance, accounting, legal, manufacturing, process development and quality functions.
"With our second clinical trial of HSC about to begin, exciting proof of concept data in the oncology area, and plans to expand beyond pilot scale manufacturing, Histogen has entered an exciting new phase," said Dr. Gail K. Naughton, Histogen CEO and Chairman of the Board. "I am pleased to welcome David Nassif to Histogen, and believe his business acumen and background in life sciences management and partnership building will be a great asset to Histogen as we move forward. David has worked closely with me, the Histogen team, and our Board for the past 6 months on a variety of projects, and is the right person to continue our growth on these fronts."
David Nassif brings nearly 18 years of experience in life sciences management, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and investor relations to Histogen. Most recently, he served as principal at Strategic Consulting Services, providing high-level management consulting to various public and private life science and technology companies. He also served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of Zogenix, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing products for central nervous system disorders.
Previously, Mr. Nassif was Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Licensing at Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held, generic and specialty pharmaceutical company. He also held the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RealAge, Inc., a privately-held health care database information marketing company. Over his six years with Cypros Pharmaceutical Corporation, an American Stock Exchange listed specialty pharmaceutical company, Mr. Nassif held various titles culminating in the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In 1999, he led the merger of Cypros and Ribogene, resulting in the creation of Questcor Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Nassif received a B.Sc. in Finance and Management Information Systems with honors from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
"From a single manufacturing process, Histogen is uniquely capable of producing cell-derived products with a range of opportunities in various therapeutic and aesthetic areas," said Nassif. "I am excited to join Histogen as President and CFO, and look forward to helping to grow the Company and its value for employees, investors and partners."
About Histogen
Histogen, launched in 2007, seeks to redefine regenerative medicine by developing a series of high value products that do not contain embryonic stem cells or animal components. Through Histogen's proprietary bioreactors that mimic the embryonic environment, newborn cells are encouraged to naturally produce the vital proteins and growth factors from which the Company has developed its rich product portfolio. Histogen has two product families - a proprietary liquid complex of embryonic-like proteins and growth factors, and a human Extracellular Matrix (ECM) material, ExCeltrix.
Company Poised to Reach Clinical and Business Development Milestones
SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2011 - Histogen, Inc., a regenerative medicine company developing solutions based on the products of cells grown under simulated embryonic conditions, announced today that David Nassif, J.D. has joined the Company as President and Chief Financial Officer. Histogen welcomes Mr. Nassif as the Company prepares for the start of its Phase I/ II clinical trial of HSC for hair growth, raises additional capital and directs new focus on achieving business development goals. In this capacity, Mr. Nassif will oversee the business development, finance, accounting, legal, manufacturing, process development and quality functions.
"With our second clinical trial of HSC about to begin, exciting proof of concept data in the oncology area, and plans to expand beyond pilot scale manufacturing, Histogen has entered an exciting new phase," said Dr. Gail K. Naughton, Histogen CEO and Chairman of the Board. "I am pleased to welcome David Nassif to Histogen, and believe his business acumen and background in life sciences management and partnership building will be a great asset to Histogen as we move forward. David has worked closely with me, the Histogen team, and our Board for the past 6 months on a variety of projects, and is the right person to continue our growth on these fronts."
David Nassif brings nearly 18 years of experience in life sciences management, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and investor relations to Histogen. Most recently, he served as principal at Strategic Consulting Services, providing high-level management consulting to various public and private life science and technology companies. He also served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of Zogenix, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing products for central nervous system disorders.
Previously, Mr. Nassif was Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Licensing at Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held, generic and specialty pharmaceutical company. He also held the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RealAge, Inc., a privately-held health care database information marketing company. Over his six years with Cypros Pharmaceutical Corporation, an American Stock Exchange listed specialty pharmaceutical company, Mr. Nassif held various titles culminating in the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In 1999, he led the merger of Cypros and Ribogene, resulting in the creation of Questcor Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Nassif received a B.Sc. in Finance and Management Information Systems with honors from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
"From a single manufacturing process, Histogen is uniquely capable of producing cell-derived products with a range of opportunities in various therapeutic and aesthetic areas," said Nassif. "I am excited to join Histogen as President and CFO, and look forward to helping to grow the Company and its value for employees, investors and partners."
About Histogen
Histogen, launched in 2007, seeks to redefine regenerative medicine by developing a series of high value products that do not contain embryonic stem cells or animal components. Through Histogen's proprietary bioreactors that mimic the embryonic environment, newborn cells are encouraged to naturally produce the vital proteins and growth factors from which the Company has developed its rich product portfolio. Histogen has two product families - a proprietary liquid complex of embryonic-like proteins and growth factors, and a human Extracellular Matrix (ECM) material, ExCeltrix.