Biotech-On-The-Verge Ampio Pharmaceuticals Bolsters Its Management

As Ampio Pharmaceuticals (AMPE) uses repositioned products to position itself for major growth, the management team is also being fortified to carry out the short- and long-term missions of the company.

Already boasting a team with decades of experience and expertise, the company announced on Monday the addition of Deborah Knobelman, Ph.D., as chief business officer, a position that will report directly to CEO Don Wingerter, according to Ampio's press release.

With multiple clinical trials coming to an end by the end of 2011, and with the commercialization of the sexual dysfunction drug Zertane seemingly imminent, major near-term growth could be in store for Ampio, and management believes that Knobelman bears the experience and skills necessary to maximize the value of the company's pipeline.

Ampio Pharmaceuticals Announces Treatment of First Patient in Phase 1b Ampion-In -Knee (AIK) Trial for Osteoarthritis in Australia

Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPE - News) ("Ampio" or the "Company"), a company that discovers and develops new uses for previously approved drugs and new molecular entities ("NMEs") today announced treatment of the first patient in the three-arm, placebo controlled, 60 patient Phase 1b Ampion-In -Knee (AIK) trial in Australia. The active ingredient in Ampion™ has extensive worldwide patent protection including composition of matter and use patents. Anti-inflammatory and autoimmune modulation drugs constitute one of the largest markets in the pharmaceutical industry.About the TrialThis Phase 1b study is being conducted in patients diagnosed with a medical condition (pain and inflammation of the knee-osteoarthritis), which the study drug is intended to alleviate and confirm the hypothesis that the current outcome benefit is compatible with the mechanism of action of the drug.In this study, Ampion™ (the low molecular fraction of commercial albumin preparation) is injected into the knees of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee in conjunction with standard therapy, including steroids, aiming to demonstrate a reduction in pain and improved range of motion compared to placebo.The observation period in this study is short (72 hours) hence, results of this trial are anticipated to be available in the short term.
About Ampion™Ampion™ is a patented small molecule with non- steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that is naturally produced by humans in response to injury. Because it is present in commercially available human serum albumin (which has been given to millions of people over several decades) it can be considered to be a biological.Ampion™ may qualify as a new use for an existing drug with the potential of a shortened regulatory path compared to new drugs because human serum albumin is approved for intravenous administration to patients. For an informative Q & A about Ampion™