BEVERLY, MA–(Marketwired – November 30, 2015) - Cellceutix Corporation (OTC: CTIX) (the “Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies with oncology, dermatology, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic applications, announced today that Ronald Trust, PhD, MBA, has been retained as a consultant to the Company to oversee regulatory affairs pertaining to the planned Brilacidin Phase 3 program for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections (ABSSSI), among other responsibilities.
Dr. Trust has more than four decades of pharmaceutical research and development experience, including senior positions in R&D at Pfizer, Enzon, Wyeth/Lederle, and most recently, Allergan plc affiliate Durata Therapeutics. He has made significant contributions leading to the FDA approval of 11 drugs and supplements, including five antibacterial agents, most notably the blockbuster ZITHROMAX® (azithromycin) and most recently DALVANCE® (dalbavancin) for ABSSSI. An organic chemist by training, Dr. Trust received his PhD in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and his MBA in pharmaceutical studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Trust has recently formed a regulatory, quality and medical writing consultation firm, PharmExpertise, LLC, with Cellceutix becoming one of its first clients.
“I like what I see in the Cellceutix pipeline and consider it a great opportunity to work with the Company on the late-stage development of Brilacidin for ABSSSI, and future indications” said Dr. Trust. “Cellceutix has done a tremendous job to date, and I look forward to contributing my expertise on regulatory matters to advance the Company’s development of products to treat serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The world is in desperate need of novel drugs to combat the growing antibiotic resistance problem, and Cellceutix’ technology may be part of the solution.”
“We are fortunate to have the services of someone as experienced and accomplished as Dr. Trust,” commented Dr. Daniel Jorgensen, Chief Medical Officer at Cellceutix. “It’s very difficult to bring new antibiotics to market, and Dr. Trust has been involved with not one, but five successes, including DALVANCE last year. He will play a significant role in advancing the development of Brilacidin, the first completely novel antibiotic to enter a Phase 3 trial in ABSSSI in more than two decades.”