Business Drivers 4239

BUSINESS DRIVERS

Transport Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Framingham, MA) has appointed Brian M. Gallagher, PhD, to its board of directors. A 25-year veteran of the specialty pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and diagnostics industries, Gallagher is currently president and CEO of Magen Biosciences (Cambridge, MA), a dermatology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company. Transport Pharmaceuticals is focused on the convergence of medical devices and therapeutics for topical treatment of dermatological conditions.

As part of the continuing integration of its 2005 acquisition of Ocular Sciences Inc., Cooper Companies Inc. (Lake Forest, CA) is combining its CooperVision and Cooper Companies headquarters operations and announced several management changes. Robert S. Weiss, Cooper's executive vice president and chief operating officer, has assumed additional duties as president of CooperVision Inc. Steven M. Neil, vice president and chief financial officer, has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer. His expanded role will include overseeing the integration of CooperVision's financial and information technology functions into the company's headquarters' operations. In conjunction with the restructuring, CooperVision president Gregory A. Fryling will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Separately, A. Thomas Bender, Cooper's chairman and CEO, has announced his intent to relinquish his role as CEO by the end of 2007. Cooper's board of directors is considering both internal and external candidates to succeed Bender, who expects to have a continuing role in the company.

Laparoscopic systems manufacturer Viking Systems Inc. (San Diego) has promoted Stephen M. Heniges to senior vice president of global marketing and clinical development. Previously vice president of corporate accounts and international business at Viking Systems, Heniges replaces Lonna J. Williams, senior vice president of commercial operations, who has left the company to pursue other interests.

Mark Kramer, former director of FDA's Office of Combination Products, has joined GE Healthcare (Chalfont St. Giles, UK) as vice president of regulatory affairs. The company reports that Kramer, who will lead the regulatory function for medical devices across GE Healthcare, brings more than 17 years of experience from FDA, as well as insight on regulatory affairs and quality compliance relating to product development from positions in the private sector.

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (Irvine, CA) has appointed four new corporate officers, each of whom already held a position with the company. Previously vice president and general manager of transcatheter mitral repair and vice president of corporate strategy, Donald E. Bobo Jr. has been named corporate vice president for heart valve therapy. John P. McGrath, PhD, has been named corporate vice president for quality. McGrath joined Edwards in 2006 as vice president of quality, prior to which he served as vice president of quality at Cordis Corp. (Miami Lakes, FL), a Johnson & Johnson company. In addition, Carlyn Solomon has been named corporate vice president for critical care. Prior to joining Edwards in June 2005, Solomon held several positions in the bioscience division at Baxter International Inc. (Deerfield, IL). Also, Larry Wood—who has been with the Edwards organization since 1985—has been named corporate vice president for transcatheter valve replacement.

Shimadzu Corp. (Kyoto, Japan) has named Takeshi Kawami president of its American subsidiary, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Columbia, MD). A 24-year Shimadzu veteran, he replaces Osamu Ando, who served as president for seven years.