– SPAIN, Palma de Mallorca – Laboratoris Sanifit S.L., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on treatments for calcification disorders, today announces the appointment of Keith R. Leonard to the Board of Directors. Mr Leonard brings over 20 years of industry experience to Sanifit.
Commenting on the appointment, Joan Perelló, CEO of Sanifit said, “Keith possesses deep experience within the industry, and his background and proven track record makes him a valuable addition to our Board. During his time at Kythera, he transformed the company, and managed its acquisition by Allergan. We are delighted to benefit from his unique insights, and his experience in building successful companies will prove invaluable as we drive Sanifit forward to reach its full potential.”
Keith R. Leonard added, “I am pleased to be able to contribute to the development of Sanifit. The drug under development, SNF472, has already received orphan drug status for the treatment of calciphylaxis from both the EMA and FDA. It is something special and has the promise to make a life-changing impact for dialysis patients. I look forward to working with the highly experienced board and dynamic team at the company.”
Keith R. Leonard was co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2005 until its acquisition by Allergan in October 2015 for $2.1 bn. Prior to that, Mr Leonard held various positions at Amgen Inc., a biotechnology company, including the creation of Amgen’s Rheumatology Business Unit, and as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Amgen Europe, responsible for commercial operations in 28 European countries.
Mr. Leonard currently serves on the board of Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Intuitive Surgical, and is the Executive Chairman of UNITY Biotechnology and Sienna Biopharmaceuticals. He was formerly an active duty officer in the US Navy. Mr Leonard received a BS in Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, a BA in History from the University of Maryland, an MS in Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Sanifit is focused on the development of its lead candidate SNF472, an experimental drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases linked to calcification in patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) undergoing haemodialysis. SNF472 has shown significant efficacy data in more than 20 preclinical studies. It has also shown excellent safety and tolerability in a phase Ia clinical trial in healthy volunteers and a phase Ib/IIa pharmacology study in haemodialysis patients.
About SNF472:
SNF472 is an intravenous formulation with a novel mechanism of action for haemodialysis patients with cardiovascular diseases linked to calcification. SNF472 is being developed for two indications: reduction of cardiovascular events in dialysis patients and for the treatment of calciphylaxis. SNF472 has orphan drug status for the treatment of calciphylaxis from both the EMA and FDA. SNF472 selectively blocks the pathological cardiovascular calcification progression and poses an innovative solution for these unmet medical needs. The intravenous route is promising for dialysis patients as it assures 100% compliance.
About Sanifit:
Sanifit is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of SNF472. The company was founded in 2007 as a spin-off of the University of the Balearic Islands. SNF472 is an experimental drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases linked to calcification in the End Stage Renal Disease population undergoing haemodialysis. Sanifit has completed phase 1a studies with healthy volunteers in 2014. It has completed a phase Ib/IIa study in haemodialysis patients. After a recent series C funding round of $41.3M (€36.6M), Sanifit will start a phase IIb study in ESRD and extend the orphan program in calciphylaxis into phase II/III clinical trials.
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