Lexicon Strengthens Management Team With Two New Executives Matthew Cullen Joins as Vice President of Value and Access
Lisa DeFrancesco Joins as Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Oct. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX) today announced that Matthew Cullen is joining the company as vice president of value and access, effective November 1, 2023, and Lisa DeFrancesco will join as head of investor relations and corporate strategy, effective November 13, 2023. Mr. Cullen brings Lexicon more than 35 years of industry experience in market access and sales leadership. Before joining Lexicon, Matt served as vice president, value, access and policy at Apellis Pharmaceuticals where he led the market access launch of rare disease drug EMPAVELI® (pegcetacoplan) and ophthalmology drug SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection). His responsibilities included pricing and contracting, payer strategy and marketing, corporate and strategic account management, field reimbursement, trade and distribution, and training. Prior to Apellis, Mr. Cullen led strategic payer marketing and access teams at Bristol-Myers Squibb for ELIQUIS® (apixaban) and ORENCIA® (abatacept). While at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mr. Cullen also served as head of sales in immunology and led the launch of ZEPOSIA® (ozanimod) for multiple sclerosis (MS). Before joining Bristol Myers Squibb, Mr. Cullen served as vice president, value and access at Sanofi-Genzyme, and was involved in the launches of AUBAGIO® (teriflunomide) and LEMTRADA® (alemtuzumab) in MS. Mr. Cullen is a graduate of the University of Connecticut where he received both his BA and MBA. Ms. DeFrancesco is an accomplished senior executive with nearly 25 years of experience in various investor relations, finance and corporate communications roles. Ms. DeFrancesco was most recently senior vice president, investor relations and corporate affairs for Amarin Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company focused in the cardiovascular space. Before joining Amarin, Ms. DeFrancesco was senior vice president, investor relations and corporate affairs for Intercept Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat progressive non-viral liver diseases. Prior to Intercept, Ms. DeFrancesco was the senior vice president of corporate affairs for Melinta Therapeutics, an antibiotic focused biotech. Ms. DeFrancesco also spent eight years at Allergan as vice president, investor relations leading the investor relations function through a number of transformational mergers and acquisitions totaling over $150 billion, from Watson Labs, Actavis, Warner Chilcott, Forest Labs and ultimately Allergan, which was recently acquired by Abbvie. Ms. DeFrancesco began her career as a Wall Street equity research analyst at Ladenburg Thalmann & Co Inc. Ms. DeFrancesco holds a BS in Business Administration from Seton Hall University and is a member of the National Investors Relations Institute. She is the recipient of numerous Institutional Investor Awards received from 2013-2015, as well as two IR Magazine Awards received in 2012 and 2013. “Matt and Lisa’s experience and knowledge will be instrumental in our execution of the launch of INPEFA® (sotagliflozin) in heart failure and the advancement of LX9211 into late-stage development for the long-term creation of value for our stakeholders,” said Lonnel Coats, Lexicon’s chief executive officer. Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company with a mission of pioneering medicines that transform patients’ lives. Through its Genome5000™ program, Lexicon scientists studied the role and function of nearly 5,000 genes and identified more than 100 protein targets with significant therapeutic potential in a range of diseases. Through the precise targeting of these proteins, Lexicon is pioneering the discovery and development of innovative medicines to treat diseases safely and effectively. Lexicon has advanced multiple medicines to market and has a pipeline of promising drug candidates in heart failure, neuropathic pain, diabetes and metabolism and other indications. For additional information, please visit www.lexpharma.com. Discovered using Lexicon’s unique approach to gene science, INPEFA® (sotagliflozin) is an oral inhibitor of two proteins responsible for glucose regulation known as sodium-glucose cotransporter types 2 and 1 (SGLT2 and SGLT1). SGLT2 is responsible for glucose reabsorption by the kidney and SGLT1 is responsible for glucose absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. INPEFA has been studied in multiple patient populations encompassing heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease in clinical studies involving approximately 20,000 patients. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Dosing: Assess renal function and volume status and, if necessary, correct volume depletion prior to initiation of INPEFA. INPEFA dosing for patients with decompensated heart failure may begin when patients are hemodynamically stable, including when hospitalized or immediately upon discharge. Warnings and Precautions:
Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Perineum (Fournier’s Gangrene): Reports of Fournier’s Gangrene, a rare but serious and life-threatening necrotizing infection requiring urgent surgical intervention, have been identified in post-marketing surveillance in patients with diabetes mellitus receiving SGLT2 inhibitors. Assess patients who present with pain, tenderness, erythema, or swelling in the genital or perineal area, along with fever or malaise. If suspected, start treatment immediately with broad-spectrum antibiotics and, if necessary, surgical debridement. Discontinue INPEFA, closely monitor patient signs and symptoms, and provide appropriate alternative therapy for heart failure. Urinary Glucose Test and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) Assay: these are not reliable for patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors. Use alternative testing methods to monitor glucose levels. Digoxin: Monitor patients appropriately as there is an increase in the exposure of digoxin when coadministered with INPEFA 400 mg. Uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) Inducer: The coadministration of rifampicin, an inducer of UGTs, with sotagliflozin resulted in a decrease in the exposure of sotagliflozin. Lithium: Concomitant use of an SGLT2 inhibitor with lithium may decrease serum lithium concentrations. Monitor serum lithium concentration more frequently during INPEFA initiation and with dosage changes. Use in Specific Populations:
Pregnancy and Lactation: INPEFA is not recommended during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, nor while breastfeeding. Geriatric Use: No INPEFA dosage change is recommended based on age. No overall differences in efficacy were detected between these patients and younger patients, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out. Elderly patients may be at increased risk for volume depletion adverse reactions, including hypotension. Renal Impairment: INPEFA was evaluated in patients with chronic kidney disease (eGFR 25 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and in patients with heart failure with eGFR 2. The safety profile of INPEFA across eGFR subgroups in these studies was consistent with the known safety profile. There was an increase in volume-related adverse events (e.g., hypotension, dizziness) in patients with eGFR 2 relative to the overall safety population. Efficacy and safety studies with INPEFA did not enroll patients with an eGFR less than 25 mL/min/1.73 m2 or on dialysis. After starting therapy in the studies, patients were discontinued if eGFR fell below 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or were initiated on chronic dialysis. Hepatic Impairment: INPEFA is not recommended in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment. Click here for full Prescribing Information.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” including statements relating to the therapeutic and commercial potential, research and clinical development and regulatory status of INPEFA® (sotagliflozin). In addition, this press release also contains forward looking statements relating to Lexicon’s financial position and long-term outlook on its business, growth and future operating results, discovery and development of products, strategic alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that are not historical facts or information. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations and involve risks, uncertainties and other important factors, specifically including Lexicon’s ability to meet its capital requirements, successfully commercialize INPEFA in heart failure on the timeline and/or at the prices currently contemplated or at all, conduct preclinical and clinical development and obtain necessary regulatory approvals of INPEFA (in other indications), LX9211 and its other drug candidates on its anticipated timelines, achieve its operational objectives, obtain patent protection for its discoveries and establish strategic alliances, as well as additional factors relating to manufacturing, intellectual property rights, and the therapeutic or commercial value of its drug candidates. Any of these risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause Lexicon’s actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Information identifying such important factors is contained under “Risk Factors” in Lexicon’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and other subsequent disclosure documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lexicon undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.