Australian antiviral drug development company Island Pharmaceuticals (ASX:ILA) has announced the appointment of Jason Carroll as its non-executive chairman.
Island's lead asset is ISLA-101, a drug with a well-established safety profile, being repurposed for the prevention and treatment of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Mr Carroll brings more than 30 years of experience in the field of life sciences. He has held senior leadership roles at several multinational pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Janssen and iNova. He has specialist expertise in both R&D and corporate strategy. His extensive experience in clinical product development includes overseeing successful market access and reimbursement programs for new drug treatments, as well as delivering regional M&A and business development strategies with a focus on Southeast Asian markets.
Mr Carroll is a substantial shareholder in Island Pharmaceuticals. Mr Carroll will continue to serve as CEO of Tryp Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing intravenous-infused psilocin for diseases with high unmet medical needs.
Accompanying Mr Carroll’s appointment, the Island announced that Phil Lynch will step down from the chairman role to focus on his other interests.
Mr Carroll said, I’m truly thrilled by the opportunity to join the Board of Island as the Company executes the next phase of clinical development. An effective solution for dengue fever remains a critical unmet need for half of the world’s population, and I have, an unwavering belief in the potential of Island Pharmaceuticals to deliver an outcome that will help those in desperate need. I look forward to working closely with David and the Board in order to support the company and its shareholders as Island enters an exciting opportunity for growth.”
Island’s CEO and Managing Director, Dr David Foster, added, “We’re delighted to welcome an industry leader of Jason’s calibre as Chairman. With his wealth of experience and a strong track record in bringing clinically backed health care treatments, Jason is the ideal candidate to oversee the next phase of our commercialisation strategy at Board level, across both targeted M&A and the progression of clinical trials for ISLA-101. Concurrently, I’d like to acknowledge Phil’s contribution to the Company as Chairman and wish him well for the future.”