SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmacyclics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCYC) announced today the appointment of Dr. Ahmed Hamdy as its new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Hamdy most recently served as Therapeutic Area Head at Elan Pharmaceuticals responsible for gastroenterology and autoimmune clinical development. Dr. Hamdy's experience ranges across all clinical development phases (9 Phase I, 3 Phase II, 8 Phase III and 3 Phase IV trials). He has a track record of delivering a number of INDs and NDAs (5 INDs, 1 ANDA, 1 sNDA and 1 NDA). In the past, Dr. Hamdy was responsible for more than 37 clinical trials where he authored and oversaw the development of multiple clinical development plans, protocols and study reports in numerous therapeutic areas (oncology, urology, autoimmune, anemia, pain and cardiovascular).
Dr. Hamdy has also served as the General Medicine Therapeutic Area Head at PDL BioPharma from February 2006 to June 2008, where he was responsible for the clinical development activities for Cardene IV(R) premixed bag formulations, which was approved in 2008 and the development of Ularitide(R) for the treatment of congestive heart failure. From September 2004 to February 2006, Dr. Hamdy was a medical director at Johnson and Johnson/ALZA where he participated in NDA submissions for OROS Hydromorphone (Jurnista(R)) for moderate to severe pain approved in Europe 2006. From October 2000 to August 2004, Dr. Hamdy was a Senior Principal Scientist at Watson Pharmaceuticals where he participated in an ANDA for testosterone gel for the treatment of hypogonadism that was approved 2005. He also participated in multiple INDs in oncology and autoimmune diseases leading to successful phase I and phase II programs. Dr. Hamdy received his M.D. (M.B.B.Ch) from Cairo University, Egypt.
Said Dr. Glenn Rice, COO and President: 'Dr. Hamdy has deep and broad industry experience and has shown time and time again that he can deliver high quality clinical studies in a timely manner and successfully represent these studies to the FDA. He is also a former Olympic crew team member for Egypt, a sport that demands exacting team work, precision, strength and endurance. These qualities have guided his professional career and are qualities that will serve him well in this leadership position at Pharmacyclics.
