Mel Spigelman, M.D. Named R&D Director of Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Brings 20 Years of Expertise to Int'l Public-Private Partnership

6/2/2003

From: Gwynne Oosterbaan, 212-227-7540, ext. 209 E-mail: gwynne.oosterbaan@tballiance.org Bea Evangelista, 212-227-7540, ext. 202 E-mail: beatrice.evangelista@tballiance.org both of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

NEW YORK, June 2 -- The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), a public-private partnership accelerating the discovery and development of more effective and affordable tuberculosis (TB) medicines, announced the appointment of Dr. Mel Spigelman as Research and Development Director today. Dr. Spigelman spent a decade as head of research and development at Knoll Pharmaceuticals. Board certified in three areas, Dr. Spigelman was also on the faculty at the Department of Neoplastic Diseases at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York from 1980 to 1999.

"We are honored to have such a well-regarded authority on drug development as well as an accomplished physician join us at a pivotal time in our organization's expansion and growth," said Dr. Maria C. Freire, chief executive officer of the TB Alliance. "Dr. Spigelman's expertise, from bench to bedside, provides us with an ideal leader to further accelerate the rapid portfolio growth and strategic infrastructure investments at the Alliance."

"Appointing Dr. Spigelman allows the Alliance to build on the momentum that has been established to date, as he shares our objectives, vision and commitment to health," said Sean Lance, chairman of Chiron Corporation and chairman of the board of directors of the TB Alliance.

"I am eager and ready to devote my energies to the work of the TB Alliance to help meet this tremendous unmet medical need," said Dr. Spigelman. "I am looking forward to building an effective R&D team and bringing to bear my past experiences of working in industry, academia and medical practice. Together with our partners, I am confident that we can deliver a faster cure that will make a significant impact on global health and prosperity."

As Vice President of R&D at Knoll Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Spigelman directed clinical development and supervised all R&D activities. He helped establish global R&D processes as part of Knoll's senior R&D management team, oversaw a marked increase in U.S. regulatory filings and approvals, and supervised joint R&D programs with other pharmaceutical companies.

After receiving his medical degree from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Spigelman trained in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Preventive Medicine, holding board certification in each. In addition to his teaching and patient care responsibilities at Mount Sinai, Dr. Spigelman established a highly productive brain tumor laboratory and clinical research program. He received the American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award from 1985 to 1988.

"The Scientific Advisory Committee at the TB Alliance warmly welcomes Dr. Spigelman and we look forward to drawing on his extensive drug development expertise," said Dr. Rick O'Brien, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the TB Alliance and Chief of the Research and Evaluation Branch in the Division of TB Elimination at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

------ About the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership accelerating the discovery and/or development of affordable, new anti-TB drugs that will shorten treatment, be effective against multi-drug resistant strains, and improve treatment of latent infection. The TB Alliance builds a portfolio of promising drug candidates, manages their development through cooperative deals with public and private partners, and provides staged funding and expert scientific and management guidance. Partners include the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), Johns Hopkins University, the Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), the Research Triangle Institute and Wellesley College. For more information, visit http://www.tballiance.org.