MedImmune Expands Scientific and Engineering Le...

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, December 20 /PRNewswire/ --

- Company also Establishes New Site Leadership Team at Cambridge Facility

    Continuing the solidification of its role as the global biologics unit
for AstraZeneca plc (AZ), MedImmune today announced that Andrew D. Skibo has
joined the company as senior vice president, engineering and JoAnn Suzich,
Ph.D., a 19-year veteran of the company, has been promoted to vice president,
research and development, infectious disease. In addition, MedImmune
announced that it has established a new site leadership team at its Cambridge
facilities as a part of the plan to integrate the former Cambridge Antibody
Technology (CAT) organization into AZ's new global biologics unit,
functioning under the name MedImmune.



    "As MedImmune supports AZ in its efforts to build a major international
presence in the research, development and manufacture of biological
therapeutics, it's critical that we continue to expand the depth of our
leadership capabilities," said David M. Mott, chief executive officer and
president. "I am pleased with the high-caliber scientific and technical
talent MedImmune continues to hire and retain as we strive to create the most
productive and successful biotech business, with benefits to patients,
shareholders and employees worldwide."



New Leadership

    Andrew D. Skibo joins MedImmune as senior vice president, engineering. In
this role he will be responsible for overseeing large-scale capital projects
at all of MedImmune's facilities, including sites in California,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, the Netherlands and the UK as well as the ongoing
construction of the company's antibody-manufacturing facilities in Frederick,
Maryland. He reports to Bernardus Machielse, Drs., executive vice president,
operations. Previously, Mr. Skibo held the position of vice president,
corporate engineering and capital projects at Amgen, Inc., responsible for
restructuring and rebuilding the corporate engineering function on a global
level. Before joining Amgen, Mr. Skibo served in engineering management
positions focused on pharmaceuticals and bioscience at Skanska, Inc; Foster
Wheeler Corp.; Life Sciences International, Inc.; A.D. Skibo & Associates,
Inc.; and Genentech, Inc. Mr. Skibo holds a master of science degree in
chemical engineering with a specialty in biomedical engineering and a
bachelor of science degree in organic chemistry, both from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.



Management Promotion

    As vice president, infectious disease research, Dr. Suzich is responsible
for overseeing MedImmune's research in the development of antibodies and
antibody-like molecules for the prophylaxis and treatment of infectious
disease. Since joining MedImmune in 1988 in the role of scientist, she has
held several positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as senior
director, infectious disease research. During her tenure with the company she
has been involved in many key development programs, including Synagis(R)
(palivizumab) and the virus-like particle technology that is the basis of the
new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines used to prevent cervical cancer. Dr.
Suzich holds a doctorate in biochemistry from Purdue University and graduated
magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in biology from Susquehanna
University.



New Cambridge Site Leadership Team

    MedImmune also announced today that following the integration of CAT into
MedImmune, several personnel were appointed to the new Cambridge site
leadership team under the guidance of John Stageman, Ph.D., vice president
and interim site head.



    Dr. Stageman has nearly 30 years of experience in R&D management
throughout AZ and its predecessor companies, having pioneered large-scale
biotechnology process development and scale-up at the start of his career. He
entered the pharmaceutical business in 1993 rising through a number of senior
roles in both drug discovery and development project management. In 1996, Dr.
Stageman led the team that initiated the successful Phase 3 development of
Faslodex(R) (fulvestrant). Later, as AZ vice president of biopharmaceutical
strategy, he established a team that steered the organization's aggressive
drive into biologics, including the acquisitions of both CAT and MedImmune.
Dr. Stageman has served on several UK Research Council grant committees and
recently served as a member of the Royal Society working party on
pharmacogenetics. He is an honorary professor at the University of Manchester
and holds both a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and a doctorate in
physical chemistry from the University of Bristol.



    Jon Green, vice president, business operations is responsible for
developing and maintaining all operational, infrastructure and support
activities at MedImmune's Cambridge site. Prior to joining CAT in 1992, he
held a number of academic posts including on the Medical Research Council,
Carshalton, and in the Department of Biochemistry at Imperial College London.
Mr. Green holds a primary certification and a master's degree, both in
molecular biology. He is a fellow of the Institute of Biology with chartered
status.



    With 14 years of experience at CAT, Jane Osbourn, Ph.D., currently serves
as vice president, research, and acting head, oncology research for
MedImmune's Cambridge operations. Previously, she has held a number of
product and technology development posts within the organization. Dr. Osbourn
completed a doctorate at the John Innes Centre for Plant Science Research in
Norwich, followed by a British Heart Foundation Post doctoral fellowship at
the Department of Medicine at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. She
obtained a first-class degree in natural sciences (biochemistry) from the
University of Cambridge.



    Paul Varley, Ph.D., currently vice president, development, Cambridge,
joined CAT in 1998 as director of pharmaceutical sciences and was promoted to
vice president of biopharmaceutical development in 2004. Previously, Dr.
Varley was head of protein science at British Biotech from 1993-1998 and had
served as a staff scientist at the National Institute of Biological Standards
and Control, UK. He has also undertaken post-doctoral research at the
University of Newcastle upon Tyne and at the U.S. National Institutes of
Health. Dr. Varley holds a degree in biomolecular sciences from Portsmouth
Polytechnic and a doctorate from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.



    Andy Williams, Ph.D., vice president, research, project management joined
CAT in 1993 following a post-doctoral fellowship at University of British
Columbia in Vancouver in which he had continued the work on the molecular
genetics of color vision he had initiated while pursuing his doctorate at
Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. Dr. Williams has led
a number of drug discovery and technology development projects at CAT while
previously serving as head of target validation and later establishing the
project management and planning group within drug discovery. He holds a first
degree in biochemistry from Kings College, University of London.



    Trevor Boulding, director, human resources (HR), joined CAT in January
2005 after many years of senior-level HR experience in hi-tech manufacturing
and broadcasting. Under his direction, the organization in Cambridge has
revised its employee performance management and remuneration systems,
implemented a flexible benefits scheme and met the resourcing needs of the
plan for biologics growth. Mr. Boulding holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish
and French from Birmingham University and is a member of the Institute of
Personnel Management (now the Chartered Institute of Personnel &
Development).



About MedImmune

    MedImmune strives to provide better medicines to patients, new medical
options for physicians and rewarding careers to employees. With approximately
3,000 employees worldwide and headquarters in Maryland, MedImmune is
dedicated to advancing science and medicine to help people live better lives
and is wholly owned by AstraZeneca plc (LSE: AZN.L, NYSE: AZN). For more
information, visit MedImmune's website at http://www.medimmune.com.



Web site: http://www.medimmune.com