Nov. 3, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ROSG), a leading developer of microRNA-based molecular diagnostics, today announced the appointment of Kenneth A. Berlin to the position of president and chief executive officer, effective November 2, 2009. Rosetta Genomics’ board of directors has recommended that Mr. Berlin also be appointed to serve on the Rosetta Genomics’ board of directors. This recommendation will be put to vote at the Company’s upcoming annual shareholders meeting.

Prior to his appointment as president and CEO of Rosetta Genomics, since July 2007, Mr. Berlin, who is 45, served as worldwide General Manager at cellular and molecular cancer diagnostics developer Veridex, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) company. Under his leadership the organization grew to over 100 employees, and he spearheaded the launch of three cancer diagnostic products, the acquisition of its cellular diagnostics partner, and delivered significant growth in sales as Veridex transitioned from a research and development entity to a commercial provider of oncology diagnostic products and services. During Mr. Berlin’s tenure, Veridex received numerous awards including recognition from the Cleveland Clinic and Prix Galien for the use of its innovative CellSearch® technology in the fight against cancer.

Mr. Berlin joined Johnson & Johnson in 1994 and served as corporate counsel for six years. He led and participated on the legal team that oversaw several mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and commercial transactions across Johnson & Johnson. He then held positions of increasing responsibility within Johnson & Johnson and a number of its subsidiary companies. From 2001 until 2004 he served as vice president, licensing and new business development in the pharmaceuticals group, and from 2004 until 2007 was worldwide vice president, franchise development, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics. He has been responsible for numerous licensing and/or research collaboration deals in metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, oncology, CNS and women’s health, including the ex-U.S. license to Millennium Pharmaceutical’s VELCADE, a first-in-class, oncology therapeutic with reported sales outside the U.S. in excess of $750 million in 2008.

“Ken is a proven business leader whose background, accomplishments and commercialization experience in the novel diagnostics space are particularly well-suited for Rosetta Genomics at this time,” said Yoav Chelouche, chairman of the board of directors. “We have commercialized three microRNA diagnostic tests and have licensed or formed distribution agreements with six separate parties on five continents for these tests.