NEW YORK, Jan. 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PGNX), an oncology company developing innovative medicines and imaging analysis technology for targeting and treating cancer, today announced the appointment of Asha Das, M.D. to the newly created role of Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Das brings 13 years of drug development experience, including leading activities related to the approval and launch of Avastin^® in multiple indications at Genentech, as well as a decade of clinical practice and academic expertise in neurology and neuro-oncology.

“Asha is a talented clinician and a proven oncology drug development leader,” stated Mark Baker, CEO of Progenics. “Her experience developing and executing registrational studies will be invaluable to Progenics as we advance our portfolio of PSMA-targeted imaging and therapeutic agents and look to developing new indications for AZEDRA. We are delighted to welcome her to the Company.”

Dr. Das most recently served as Tocagen’s Chief Medical Officer, where she led the development of the company’s cancer-selective gene therapy platform. From April 2008 to April 2015, Dr. Das served at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in positions of increasing responsibility, initially as Associate Medical Director and ultimately as Group Medical Director. She was responsible for leading activities related to the approval and launch of Avastin in recurrent glioblastoma, expansion into platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and metastatic cervical cancer as well as clinical activities related to TECENTRIQ^®. From 2005 to 2008, Dr. Das served as Associate Medical Director at Eisai Inc., a pharmaceutical company, where she focused on clinical activities related to the oncology therapeutics HALAVEN^® and LENVIMA™. Prior to that, Dr. Das was head of the neuro-oncology program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“This is an exciting time to be joining Progenics, with the launch of AZEDRA in adult and pediatric patients with ultra-rare cancers, and the recent progress in the Company’s pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals, a new class of drugs,” commented Dr. Das. “In addition, PyL represents an opportunity to change how prostate cancer is diagnosed and managed, while 1095 leverages the power of our PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceutical approach to potentially improve outcomes for patients with prostate cancer. I look forward to leading these transformative programs and advancing Progenics’ mission to find, fight and follow cancer.” 

Dr. Das is certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and in the sub-specialty of neuro-oncology by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties and previously served as a clinical fellow in neuro-oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Das completed her residency in neurology at Cornell Medical Center and has held academic appointments at the University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Francisco; and National University of Singapore. Dr. Das obtained her medical degree and bachelor’s degree from Cornell University.

About Progenics

Progenics develops innovative medicines and other technologies to target and treat cancer, including: therapeutic agents designed to treat cancer (AZEDRA^® (iobenguane I 131), 1095, and PSMA TTC); prostate-specific membrane antigen (“PSMA”) targeted imaging agent for prostate cancer (PyL™); and imaging analysis technology (PSMA AI and aBSI). Progenics has two commercial products, AZEDRA, for the treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (rare neuroendocrine tumors of neural crest origin) who require systemic anticancer therapy and RELISTOR^® (methylnaltrexone bromide) for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation, which is partnered with Bausch Health Companies Inc. 

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” regarding future events. Statements contained in this communication that refer to Progenics’ estimated or anticipated future results or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Progenics’ current perspective of existing trends and information as of the date of this communication. Forward looking statements are generally accompanied by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “could,” “should,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” or other similar words, phrases or expressions. Such statements are predictions only, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, market acceptance for approved products; the cost, timing and unpredictability of results of clinical trials and other development activities and collaborations, such as the anticipated launch of a Phase 3 trial for PyL; our ability to successfully develop and commercialize products, such as PyL, that incorporate licensed intellectual property; the effectiveness of the efforts of our partners to market and sell products on which we collaborate and the royalty revenue generated thereby; generic and other competition; the possible impairment of, inability to obtain and costs of obtaining intellectual property rights; possible product safety or efficacy concerns, general business, financial, regulatory and accounting matters, litigation and other risks. More information concerning Progenics and such risks and uncertainties is available on its website, and in its press releases and reports it files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those risk factors included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as updated in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Progenics is providing the information in this press release as of its date and, except as expressly required by law, Progenics disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

Additional information concerning Progenics and its business may be available in press releases or other public announcements and public filings made after this release. For more information, please visit www.progenics.com. Information on or accessed through our website or social media sites is not included in the company’s SEC filings.

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