NeoStem appoints vice president

Stem cell-based therapy company NeoStem (NYSE:NBS) said that Joe Talamo has joined the firm as vice president, corporate controller and chief accounting officer.Prior to joining NeoStem, Talamo held various senior positions at OSI Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of cancer, diabetes and obesity.From 1996 to 2010, he helped build the accounting and finance infrastructure to support the clinical development and commercial launch of Tarceva, OSI’s targeted therapy approved for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.Prior to this, Talamo worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb, and at the health care and life sciences audit group at KPMG.NeoStems chief executive, Robin L. Smith, said: "Joe's experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including his seeing a product candidate from clinical trials through a highly successful commercial launch, makes him an ideal addition to the NeoStem team as we continue developing our cell-based therapeutics.""We believe Joe will be instrumental to the financial management of our diverse business units, as we continue to grow," added Smith.NeoStem is a biopharmaceutical company with operations in the U.S. and China. In the U.S., the company is a provider of adult stem cell collection, processing and storage services. Its network of US-based adult stem cell collection centers is focused mostly on the Southern California and Northeast markets.The company also owns a 51% interest in Chinese generic pharmaceutical company Suzhou Erye, and has partnerships with hospitals in China for its stem cell therapies.