Churchill Pharmaceuticals Expands Commercial Leadership Team

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., May 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Churchill Pharmaceuticals, LLC (Churchill), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the expansion of their Commercial Leadership Team.

These Churchill Commercial Leadership Team members are Sharlene Cirillo, Vice President, Marketing; Jim Datz, Vice President, Market Access; Matt Battin, Vice President, Sales; Frank Barrett, Head of Patient Support Services and Nate Ide, Head of Trade and Distribution. This highly experienced team joins Ben Steinmetz, Senior Vice President, Commercial who has been with the organization since 2015.

This newly expanded Churchill team is advancing the planning and market analysis for the potential launch of YONSA™ (abiraterone acetate), the company's lead portfolio product for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). 

"Commercial readiness is a foremost priority for Churchill following the submission of the YONSA New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration last week," said Scott Megaffin, President, Churchill. "As part of our commitment to provide value for mCRPC patients across the U.S. healthcare system, our plan is to drive rapid market access and achieve immediate impact. We believe strongly that this proven and accomplished team can deliver on this undertaking."

"It is a privilege to have Sharlene, Jim, Matt, Frank and Nate in key leadership roles within Churchill," said Steinmetz. "As a group, they bring the broad range of critical skills and capabilities needed for commercialization. Each person has been closely involved in the launches of many major oncology therapies, and they understand how markets are reshaped by therapeutic innovations."

Ben Steinmetz, Senior Vice President, Commercial

Mr. Steinmetz joined Churchill in 2015, bringing 30 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience in a variety of global and domestic, commercial and R&D roles.

Prior to Churchill, Ben was Vice President of Reimbursement and Patient Access for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and also Vice President of Policy and Payer Insight for Oncology/Biopharmaceuticals within GSK's U.S. market access division. Ben led Global Marketing for oncology and was accountable for global product management, scientific communications and health outcomes for GSK's oncology portfolio. Product responsibilities have included multiple therapeutic and supportive care products, as well as many discovery and development stage products.

Before joining GSK, he worked in senior roles at Exocell, a development-stage biotechnology company, and Eastman Pharmaceuticals/Sterling Winthrop (now Sanofi).

Sharlene Cirillo, Vice President, Marketing

Ms. Cirillo brings 30 years of broad-based experience in oncology global and domestic marketing, market access and R&D and clinical experience to her position at Churchill.

Prior to Churchill, Sharlene was Head of Global Market Access for the oncology portfolio at GSK/Novartis. The portfolio spanned solid tumors, hematology and supportive care as well as early-stage development products for which Sharlene oversaw development of product value propositions and global market access and pricing strategy. Sharlene led global and U.S. marketing teams for multiple products, including heritage cytotoxics, partnerships and the U.S. launch for renal cell cancer. Sharlene has also worked in pharmaceutical management consulting managing global business process improvement efforts in healthcare, R&D and commercial, and has experience in clinical development and medical affairs studies, trial execution and NDA submissions.

Matt Battin, Vice President, Sales

Mr. Battin brings 30 years of commercial experience in sales, marketing and market access.

Previously, Matt was Head of Genitourinary Marketing and Launch Excellence for the immuno-oncology portfolio at Bristol-Myers Squibb and led the successful launch of that franchise in renal cell carcinoma. At Novartis Oncology, Matt was Head of Integrated Health Systems where he developed the strategy for IDNs/ACOs and led a field-based account team. Matt spent most of his career at GSK as Vice President of Marketing for the oncology portfolio. In that capacity, he successfully launched several new medicines across a range of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. At GSK Matt also led several sales and marketing teams within the critical and supportive care division.

Jim Datz, Vice President, Market Access

Mr. Datz joins Churchill as Vice President of Market Access having led the account management and market access planning functions at numerous organizations over the span of his 30-year career.

Before joining Churchill, Jim was Vice President of Product Access at Galena Biopharma where he led the launch planning for two oncology supportive care products focused on anti-emesis and breakthrough cancer pain. Prior to Galena, Jim designed and led process transformation within market access functions at J&J, Roche, Wyeth and Walgreens.

Frank Barrett, Head of Patient Support Services

Mr. Barrett brings 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotech experience in market access, reimbursement, patient access and policy to his role at Churchill. Frank has successfully launched more than 35 products in multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, nephrology and HIV/AIDS.

Prior to Churchill, Frank was Head of Patient Access Services and Reimbursement at Relypsa where led his team in the successful launch of the first novel therapy for hyperkalemia in 50 years. Frank also worked for nine years at GSK in several leadership roles. Prior to GSK, Frank held reimbursement and access leadership roles at AstraZeneca, RxCrossroads and Centocor. Frank holds an MBA degree from LaSalle University.

Nate Ide, Head of Trade and Distribution

Mr. Ide joins Churchill as Head of Trade Relations, having led the management, distribution channel and market access functions at numerous organizations over the span of his 20-year career.

Prior to Churchill, Nate was Vice President of Oncology Market Access and Trade Relations at Entrinsic Health Solutions where he led the launch planning for their first oncology supportive care product focused on GI health. Before Entrinsic, Nate designed and built out the trade relations function and led national accounts teams at several companies including Galena, Spectrum, MGI, Roche and AstraZeneca.

About YONSA™ (abiraterone acetate)/tablets of abiraterone acetate ultramicrosize

YONSA is an investigational oral agent, formulated into tablets of abiraterone acetate ultramicrosize which are converted in vivo to abiraterone, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, that inhibits 17 α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase (CYP17). This enzyme is expressed in testicular, adrenal and prostatic tumor tissues and is required for androgen biosynthesis. YONSA Tablets ultramicrosize have double the bioavailability of the comparator formulation of abiraterone acetate. YONSA has been formulated using the SoluMatrix Fine Particle Technology™. YONSA (abiraterone acetate) Tablets ultramicrosize, are not yet approved for any indication in any market.

About Churchill Pharmaceuticals, LLC

Churchill is focused on providing value to cancer care by developing quality orally delivered oncology products with optimized clinical profiles. Our commitment to responsibly deliver these products to the patients, payers and healthcare communities we serve is at the core of our business.

For more information, please visit www.churchillpharma.com

Media Contacts:

Sara Baker, Chamberlain Healthcare PR  
212.849.9474 
[email protected]

Scott Megaffin, Churchill Pharmaceuticals 
610.382.5610   
[email protected]

SOURCE Churchill Pharmaceuticals, LLC

Related Links

http://www.churchillpharma.com