Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Announces Chief Executive Officers to Lead Ironwood and Cyclerion, Effective Upon Upcoming Separation
–
–
– Separation on track for completion in first half of 2019 –
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190104005414/en/
Terrance G. McGuire , Ironwood’s chairman of the board of directors, commented, “We are delighted to name Mark and Peter to their new roles following the separation, as each of them is uniquely suited to maximize the value of the business they will lead. Mark’s extensive experience building and shaping businesses, combined with his deep knowledge of GI, will be invaluable as he works to take Ironwood to the next level and create significant value for Ironwood stakeholders. Peter is an incredible entrepreneur and leader, and his passion for creating drugs that can change patients’ lives positions him and the team for success at Cyclerion.”Industry veteranMark Mallon will become CEO and a director of Ironwood, a gastrointestinal (GI) healthcare company. Mr. Mallon is joining Ironwood effective immediately as executive senior advisor, working closely withPeter Hecht , founding CEO of Ironwood, through the separation.Peter Hecht will become CEO and a director ofCyclerion Therapeutics, Inc. (Cyclerion), the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) biotechnology business focused on the development of five sGC stimulators targeting the treatment of serious and orphan diseases.
Mr. Mallon joins Ironwood following a distinguished 24-year career at
“From day one, it has been a privilege to work with every one of our teammates to build Ironwood into a thriving business that is on the cusp of launching two exciting new companies. I look forward to completing the separation and joining the Cyclerion team to help drive forward the five development opportunities that have emerged from our pioneering work in sGC pharmacology,” said Dr. Hecht. “I am thrilled that Mark is joining as Ironwood’s CEO at this pivotal juncture, and I look forward to cheering on him and his team as they build an industry-leading GI business. I am working closely with Mark, our board and our entire management team to complete the separation that we believe will create two focused companies poised for long-term growth and well positioned to help patients and create value for shareholders.”
“I am deeply honored to join Ironwood at this critical moment and to work with the team to build a leading GI franchise, which begins with accelerating the commercial success to-date with LINZESS and advancing our late-stage, first-in-category development candidates for persistent GERD and intestinal pain towards the market,” said Mr. Mallon. “Peter and the team have done a tremendous job building Ironwood over these past 20 years. The new Ironwood team now has an opportunity to build on this strong foundation to drive further growth and innovation within the GI market and to deliver a profitable business focused on bringing differentiated GI therapies to patients. Peter and I are already working together with the team toward a smooth transition and to launch this exciting new company.”
Ironwood is on track to complete the separation in the first half of 2019, subject to customary conditions, including a favorable opinion with respect to the tax-free nature of the transaction, and final approval of Ironwood’s board of directors.
About
We are also advancing a pipeline of innovative product candidates in areas of significant unmet need, including persistent gastroesophageal reflux disease, diabetic nephropathy, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and sickle cell disease. Ironwood was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, including statements about the leadership of each of Ironwood and Cyclerion following the separation, the strength and value thereof, and the leadership’s anticipated impact on Ironwood and Cyclerion’s businesses, growth, business strategies, pipeline advancement, productivity and the potential of their products and product candidates, as well as statements about the timing of any of the foregoing; the proposed separation of our operations into two independent, publicly traded companies, including the status, structure, completion and timing of the separation; the business and operations of Ironwood and Cyclerion and any benefits or costs of the separation, including the tax treatment; the business and operations of each company and the benefits of a potential separation, including with respect to Ironwood’s and Cyclerion’s competitive position, attractiveness to investors and enhanced operational, commercial and scientific effectiveness; and expectations and timing regarding Ironwood’s ability to achieve profitability. Each forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include those related to the risk that the management of the Company and Cyclerion will be different than currently contemplated; the possibility that we may not complete the separation on the terms or timeline currently contemplated, if at all, that we may not achieve the expected benefits of a separation, and that a separation could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition; the risk that we may be unable to make, on a timely or cost-effective basis, the changes necessary to operate as independent companies; Cyclerion’s lack of independent operating history and the risk that its accounting and other management systems may not be prepared to meet the financial reporting and other requirements of operating as an independent public company; the risk that a separation may adversely impact our ability to attract or retain key personnel; and the risks listed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Ironwood’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190104005414/en/
Source:
Media and Investors:
Meredith Kaya, 617-374-5082
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
mkaya@ironwoodpharma.com