ROCKVILLE, Md., July 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sucampo) (NASDAQ:SCMP), a
global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Karen Smith, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., LLM., has joined the Company’s Board of
Directors on July 15. Dr. Smith is Executive Vice President, R&D, and Chief Medical Officer at Jazz Pharmaceuticals.
“I am excited to welcome Karen to Sucampo’s Board of Directors,” said Peter Greenleaf, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Sucampo. “As a proven leader and innovation strategist with significant clinical and product development expertise, Karen will be
an indispensable part of our continued growth and evolution as we advance our late-stage pipeline in highly specialized areas of
significant unmet medical need.”
Dr. Smith brings to Sucampo over 25 years of senior leadership and executive experience with both major pharmaceutical companies
and start-up biotechnology organizations. Her product development expertise spans various therapeutic areas and includes over 20
major drug and device approvals in North and Latin America, Asia, Europe and Australia. From 2011 to 2015, she was Senior Vice
President of Global Medical Affairs and Global Therapeutic Area Head for Allergan, a multi-specialty health care company. From 2007
to 2010, Dr. Smith served initially as AstraZeneca’s Vice President of External Medical Relations, and later Vice President of
Global Development. She held an array of management and medical roles at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in Australia, Canada and
the United States. In 2001, she was also the Chief Executive Officer of Boron Molecular, a specialist fine chemicals manufacturing
company. Dr. Smith previously served on the Women’s Advisory Board for Ironman Corporation, Susan G. Komen and Girl Scouts; and is
currently Advisor to the CEO of Forward Pharma.
Dr. Smith holds a B.A.Sc. and a B.Sc. from the Curtin University, an M.D. from the University of Warwick (UK), a Ph.D. in
oncology molecular genetics from the University of Western Australia, an M.B.A. from the University of New England (Australia) and
a L.L.M. in medical law from the University of Salford (UK).
About Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of highly
specialized medicines. Sucampo has a late-stage pipeline of product candidates in clinical development for orphan disease
areas, including VTS-270, a 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin product with a specific compositional fingerprint that has been
granted orphan designation in the U.S. and Europe and is in a pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for the treatment of Niemann-Pick
Disease Type C-1, a rare progressive genetic disorder. VTS-270 also has been granted breakthrough therapy designation in the
U.S. Sucampo has an exclusive option for the North American rights to CPP1-x/sulindac, which is in Phase 3 development for
the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis and has been granted orphan drug designation in the U.S. The company has two
marketed products – AMITIZA and RESCULA. For more information, please visit www.sucampo.com.
The Sucampo logo and the tagline, The Science of Innovation, AMITIZA and RESCULA are registered trademarks of Sucampo and its
affiliates.
Follow us on Twitter (@Sucampo_Pharma). Follow us on LinkedIn (Sucampo Pharmaceuticals). Twitter LinkedIn
Contact Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Silvia Taylor Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs 1-240-223-3718 staylor@sucampo.com