The Rise of NicOx: An Interview with Damian Marron, VP Corporate Development, NicOx

Fintan Walton talks to Damian Marron, Vice President, Corporate Development, NicOx, about the company's achievements to date - from Italian origins, it developed into a rare French biopharmaceutical success story, raising some of the largest capital sums in Europe. Damian discusses NicOx's strategy with regards to attracting investors, choice of stock exchange and the rationale behind its partner selection. Also outlined are the company's objectives, ranging from its plans for the next 12 months to its long term aims regarding its conversion to a partially integrated pharmaceutical company.

About Damian Marron

Damian Marron graduated in pharmacology from the University of Liverpool in 1985, followed by post-graduate research into monoclonal antibodies at the University's Department of Radiation Oncology.

Damian has broad experience in the international pharmaceutical industry, including product and technology licensing, research and development, and sales and marketing.

Before moving to Nicox in 2002, Damian was Head of European Business Development for 3M Pharmaceuticals, which he joined in 1997.

From 1995 to 1997, Damian was UK Manager for the orphan drug group Orphan Europe, joining from Rhône-Poulenc-Rorer where he acted as Clinical Operations Manager for the Chugai-Rhône-Poulenc joint venture and Senior Clinical Research Coordinator in Oncology.

Damian worked at Glaxo from 1987 to 1992 as a Senior Clinical Research Scientist in CNS and Research Scientist in Cellular Biology .  

About NicOx

NicOx is a product-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of nitric oxide-donating drugs to meet unmet medical needs.

NicOx is targeting the therapeutic areas of inflammation and cardiometabolic disease.
The company's resources are focused on its two lead compounds in late stage development for the treatment of osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes.

NicOx aims to build itself into a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company through focused investment in in-house research and development programmes and, potentially, through in-licensing and by making select acquisitions in its core therapeutic domains of inflammation and cardiometabolic disease.

NicOx has strategic partnerships, collaborative agreements and research alliances with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and specialist players, which allow it to maximise the value of its technology and broad product portfolio, while allowing the company to retain commercialisation rights in select areas.