"It is with incredible excitement that we announce Don's promotion to lead our sales, marketing, market access, operations and patient services departments as our new head of Commercial at NS Pharma," said NS Pharma President Yukiteru Sugiyama, Ph.D. "With Don and Jennifer at the helm, we are well-positioned to execute our plans for growth in the rare disease space in the United States. Our new leadership structure is designed to foster industry collaboration and company innovation from the top down."
Foy replaces outgoing executive Gardner Gendron, who held the position for five years and oversaw the launch and commercialization of viltolarsen (VILTEPSO) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), a rare muscle-wasting neurological disorder.
Prior to joining NS Pharma, Foy served in leadership roles for 17 years in the pharmaceutical industry, with more than 24 years of experience both in sales and in cross-functional positions supporting a diverse set of stakeholders. Tamberino has a four-year tenure with NS Pharma demonstrating effective leadership and business acumen.
NS Pharma currently has one commercial product, VILTEPSO, with several others in its pipeline for the treatment of Duchenne and, separately, the treatment of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), a form of vasculitis. It is also slated to market deramiocel (CAP-1002), which is being developed by Capricor Therapeutics for the treatment of Duchenne cardiomyopathy.
About VILTEPSO® (Viltolarsen) Injection:
Prior to its approval in the U.S. in August 2020, VILTEPSO was granted Priority Review as well as Rare Pediatric Disease, Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designations. In March 2020, VILTEPSO was approved in Japan for the treatment of patients with Duchenne who are amenable to exon 53 skipping therapy. Prior to its approval in Japan, VILTEPSO was granted the SAKIGAKE designation, orphan drug designation, and designation of Conditional Early Approval System.
Serum cystatin C, urine dipstick, and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio should be measured before starting VILTEPSO. Consider also measuring glomerular filtration rate before starting VILTEPSO. During treatment, monitor urine dipstick every month, and serum cystatin C and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio every three months.
Urine should be free of excreted VILTEPSO for monitoring of urine protein. Obtain urine either prior to VILTEPSO infusion, or at least 48 hours after the most recent infusion. Alternatively, use a laboratory test that does not use the reagent pyrogallol red, which has the potential to generate a false positive result due to cross reaction with any VILTEPSO in the urine. If a persistent increase in serum cystatin C or proteinuria is detected, refer to a pediatric nephrologist for further evaluation.
About NS Pharma, Inc.
NS Pharma, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd. NS Pharma is a registered trademark of the Nippon Shinyaku group of companies.
For more information, please visit www.nspharma.com.
