DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Mycovia”) today announced the appointments of Laura Randa as Vice President, Market Access, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, and Public Policy, and Mare Lynn Fitch as Senior Director, Marketing. In these roles, Ms. Randa and Ms. Fitch will advance strategic commercialization efforts for Mycovia’s future product launches and contribute to driving long-term growth of the company. Mycovia is developing oteseconazole (VT-1161), an oral antifungal product candidate, for the treatment of Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (RVVC), a debilitating, chronic infectious condition that affects nearly 138 million women worldwide each year and for which there is currently no FDA-approved treatment in the U.S.
“We are committed to building our commercial capabilities as we prepare for our first product launch in the U.S. in 2021,” said Tiffany Ahlers, Senior Vice President, Commercialization of Mycovia. “From driving successful product launches at leading global pharmaceutical companies to executing flawless, patient-focused marketing campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, Laura and Mare’s proven track records will help us advance our mission of bringing oteseconazole to the millions of women living with RVVC.”
Ms. Randa has spent more than 22 years in market access, policy, specialty pharmacy and trade roles, delivering profitability in 31 product launches across various disease categories. She most recently served as Vice President, National Accounts at Novartis, where she led the National Account Team and a cross-functional team to drive business in payer sales, marketing, medical affairs and finance. Previously, Ms. Randa served as Head of Payer Engagement at Regeneron.
Ms. Fitch brings more than 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in U.S. and global patient and healthcare provider marketing, product launches, primary care physician and specialty sales, specialty pharmacy and hub services and adherence. Most recently, she was Director of Marketing for the EVZIO Neurology and Addiction Franchise at kaleo, a commercial-stage, privately held pharmaceutical company. Previously, Ms. Fitch held similar leadership positions at Sun Pharma, Horizon Pharma, Baxter International and Boehringer Ingelheim.
“It’s a privilege to join Mycovia at this important stage of the company’s lifecycle,” said Ms. Randa. “I look forward to working with the Mycovia team to develop relationships with key decision makers and other stakeholders within the industry as we prepare to make the transition from a clinical- to commercial-stage company.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to support Mycovia in its mission to develop and deliver important therapies to patients suffering from diseases with significant unmet needs, including RVVC,” said Ms. Fitch. “I’m excited to work with this outstanding team as we execute our marketing strategy and drive toward our first product launch.”
Ms. Randa and Ms. Fitch’s appointments come following Mycovia’s announcements in 2019 that it completed enrollment in its three Phase 3 clinical trials for oteseconazole – VIOLET and ultraVIOLET – and developed its commercial capabilities through two global exclusive licensing agreements to expand access to oteseconazole in other parts of the world.
About Mycovia Pharmaceuticals
Mycovia Pharmaceuticals has a passion for developing breakthrough therapies in areas of unmet medical need, with an initial focus in women’s health. Our lead product candidate, oteseconazole (VT-1161), is a novel, oral therapy for RVVC that is designed to have greater selectivity, fewer side effects and improved efficacy than current treatment options. Oteseconazole received FDA Qualified Infectious Disease Product and Fast-Track designations to support its potential as the first FDA-approved treatment for RVVC. In 2019, Mycovia licensed oteseconazole to Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., to develop and commercialize oteseconazole in China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, and Gedeon Richter Plc., a Hungary-based pharmaceutical company, to commercialize and manufacture oteseconazole in Europe, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America and Australia. Mycovia also recognizes that there is tremendous potential for its oral fungal inhibitors to treat a range of multi-drug resistant fungal pathogens. For more information, please visit www.mycovia.com.
About Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis
RVVC is a debilitating, chronic infectious condition that affects millions of women. Primary symptoms include vaginal itching, burning, irritation and inflammation. Some women may experience abnormal vaginal discharge and painful sexual intercourse or urination, causing variable but often severe discomfort and pain. RVVC impacts quality of life, to a degree comparable to asthma and worse than diseases such as headache and migraine.
