Horizon Pharma plc, a specialty biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of products in arthritis, inflammation, and orphan diseases, has formed an Executive Committee with responsibility for the day-to-day management of the company. In addition, the company has restructured its US commercial organization into three divisions, each led by a general manager, who will report directly to Timothy P. Walbert chairman, president, and chief executive officer. Additionally, the company also announced the resignation of Todd N. Smith, executive vice president, chief commercial officer.

The moves follows Horizon’s acquisition of Vidara Theraeputics, a specialty pharmaceutical company. Horizon announced its acquisition of Vidara earlier this year and completed a reverse merger earlier this month. Horizon and Vidara have combined with the resulting parent company incorporated in Ireland and named Horizon Pharma PLC. The combined company has over 500 employees globally, including a U. commercial organization focused on primary care, specialty, and rare diseases. In addition to its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, the company also has offices in Deerfield, Illinois; Roswell, Georgia; Reinach, Switzerland and Mannheim, Germany.

Vidara’s lead product is Actimmune, a bioengineered form of interferon gamma-1b, a protein that acts as a biologic response modifier through stimulation of the human immune system. It is used for reducing the frequency and severity of serious infections related to chronic granulomatous disease and for delaying time-to-disease progression in patients with severe, malignant osteopetrosis.

Horizon named its Executive Committee as follows: Timothy P. Walbert, chairman, president and chief executive officer; Robert F. Carey, executive vice president and chief business officer; Paul W. Hoelscher, executive vice president and chief financial officer; Barry J. Moze, executive vice president, corporate development; Jeffrey W. Sherman, executive vice president, research and development and chief medical officer.

Horizon Pharma US Commercial Organization will consist of the following divisional leadership: Terry Evans, senior vice president and general manager, primary care, managed care and trade; Brian Andersen, vice president and general manager, orphan; Vikram Karnani, vice president and general manager, specialty. The company also announced the appointment of Elizabeth M. Higashi as vice president, investor relations.

Source: Horizon Pharma