UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
January 21, 2011
DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED)
Commission File No. 001-33057
CATALYST PHARMACEUTICAL
PARTNERS, INC.
(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 76-0837053 | |
| (State Or Other Jurisdiction Of Incorporation Or Organization) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
355 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1370
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
(Address Of Principal Executive Offices)
(305) 529-2522
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers |
On January 21, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Steven R. Miller, Ph.D., currently the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer, as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Miller will also continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer.
Certain information concerning Dr. Miller, who has served since October 2009 as the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer, is included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed on April 16, 2010, under the heading “Our Management Team”.
With respect to the employment of Dr. Miller as Chief Operating Officer, there are no arrangements or understandings between him and the Company and any other persons pursuant to which he was appointed as Chief Operating Officer. There is no material plan or contract arrangement to which Dr. Miller is a party or in which he participates that is being entered into or amended in connection with his appointment as Chief Operating Officer. Further, there is no proposed transaction between Dr. Miller and the Company in connection with his appointment as Chief Operating Officer.
| Item 8.01 | Other Events |
On January 25, 2011, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Dr. Miller to the position of Chief Operating Officer. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by the Company on January 25, 2011 | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. | ||
| By: |
/s/ Jack Weinstein | |
| Jack Weinstein | ||
| Vice President, Treasurer and CFO | ||
Dated: January 25, 2011
Exhibit
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by the Company on January 25, 2011 | |
Exhibit 99.1
| NEWS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| For Further Information Contact: | ||
| Patrick J. McEnany | Melody Carey | |
| Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. | Rx Communications Group | |
| Chief Executive Officer | Co-President | |
| (305) 529-2522 | (917) 322-2571 | |
| pmcenany@catalystpharma.com | mcarey@rxir.com | |
Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners Promotes Steven R. Miller, Ph.D. to Chief Operating Officer
CORAL GABLES, FL, January 25, 2011 — Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (NasdaqCM:CPRX) announced today that Steven R. Miller, Ph.D., Catalyst’s Chief Scientific Officer, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, a new position at Catalyst. Dr. Miller will also retain his position and responsibilities as Catalyst’s Chief Scientific Officer.
“Dr. Miller has steadily and successfully taken on more responsibility since joining Catalyst,” said Patrick J. McEnany, Catalyst’s Chief Executive Officer. “He was responsible for identifying and in-licensing CPP-115, our newest drug candidate, from Northwestern University and in taking that product through an initial series of successful non-clinical studies. We fully expect Dr. Miller to continue to play a key role in the future as part of Catalyst’s senior management team.”
“I am honored by this show of confidence, proud to be part of this team that is so committed to making a difference, and excited about Catalyst’s prospects for the future,” said Dr. Miller. “Our company is poised for expansion and growth, and I’m thrilled to have this opportunity.”
Dr. Miller has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in a wide range of positions. Prior to joining Catalyst in April of 2007, Dr. Miller spent 15 years with various divisions of Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Watson), his last position as Executive Director of R&D Operations. In this capacity, Dr. Miller led a multi-site team of 70 employees in the testing of all R&D products for development support and clinical studies, including method validation, stability testing, operation of the R&D pilot plant, assembly of the CMC section of drug applications, in addition to other responsibilities. Dr. Miller held other positions at Watson, including Director of Technology Transfer and Vice President of Research and Product Development of Royce Laboratories, Inc., which was subsequently acquired by Watson. Before joining Royce Laboratories, Dr. Miller was a Group Leader at Dade Behring (formerly Baxter Diagnostics, Inc.), where he led a design team in the development of a new diagnostic analyzer and associated reagents. Dr. Miller also served as an Analytical Chemist at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Dr. Miller received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland, Department of Chemistry, and his Ph.D. from the University of Miami, Department of Chemistry. His work has been published in numerous technical and professional journals.
About Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners
Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of prescription drugs targeting addiction and diseases of the central nervous system, such as epilepsy and pain management. Catalyst has two products in development, and is currently evaluating its lead product candidate, CPP-109 (vigabatrin, a GABA aminotransferase inhibitor), for the treatment of cocaine addiction. CPP-109 has been granted “Fast Track” status by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Catalyst also expects to evaluate CPP-109 for the treatment of other addictions, such as opioid abuse and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Catalyst is also developing CPP-115, another GABA aminotransferase inhibitor that is more potent than vigabatrin and has reduced side effects (e.g., visual field defects, or VFDs) from those associated with vigabatrin. Catalyst is planning to develop CPP-115 for several indications, including drug addiction, epilepsy and pain management. CPP-115 has been granted orphan-drug designation for the treatment of infantile spasms by the FDA. Catalyst believes that it controls all current intellectual property for drugs that have a mechanism of action related to the inhibition of GABA aminotransferase. For more information about the Company, go to www.catalystpharma.com.
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