News

Posted On: 10/02/2007

Bioject Announces Hiring of President and Chief Executive Officer

PharmaManufacturing.com

Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., a developer of needle-free drug delivery systems, on Oct. 2 announced that it has hired Mr. Ralph Makar as president and chief executive officer, effective October 1, 2007.

"We are very fortunate to have such a seasoned pharmaceutical veteran join the Bioject team," said Jerald S. Cobbs, Bioject's chairman. "Mr. Makar's experience with specialty pharmaceuticals will add value to the Company, and help us implement a new direction and focus going forward. Our technology adds value to every injectable we deliver, and we look forward to working with strategic partners to demonstrate this added value by providing effective delivery systems to patients and professionals alike."

With a history of innovative life cycle management strategies for pharmaceutical brands, such as Betaseron Injectable, Diovan, and others, Mr. Makar said, "I am highly enthusiastic about the prospects of bringing significant added value to patients and all stakeholders by leveraging the highly regarded benefits of Bioject's proprietary needle-free technology with injectable therapies."

Mr. Makar brings to Bioject over 20 years of strategic leadership and marketing expertise, having worked with biotech, specialty and niche pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Makar served as vice president and general manager of the Therapeutics Business Unit at Berlex Labs, the U.S. Division of Schering AG. He also served as vice president of marketing for the Therapeutics Business Unit at Berlex. Prior to joining Berlex, Mr. Makar held a number of strategic and tactical marketing positions with increasing responsibility at Novartis and Parke-Davis. Mr. Makar earned a B.S. in Pharmacy from Rutgers College of Pharmacy in Piscataway, New Jersey and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School in New York, New York.

Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, is a developer and manufacturer of needle-free drug delivery systems. Needle-free injection works by forcing medication at high speed through a tiny orifice held against the skin. This creates a fine stream of high-pressure fluid, penetrating the skin and depositing medication in the tissue beneath. The Company is focused on developing mutually beneficial agreements with leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and veterinary companies.

For more information on Bioject, visit www.bioject.com.