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Clementia Pharmaceuticals Inc. Appoints Francois Nader, M.D. to Board of Directors(Marketwire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) MONTREAL, QC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/26/14 -- Clementia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to serving those afflicted with severe, rare diseases by the development and commercialization of innovative treatments, announced today the appointment of Francois Nader, M.D. to the Company's Board of Directors. Dr. Nader joins Clementia with more than 30-years of experience as a healthcare executive with global expertise in pioneering and delivering innovative therapies that transform the lives of patients with rare diseases. He joins Clementia's Board of Directors at an important time as the Company advances its lead clinical development program for palovarotene, a retinoic acid receptor gamma agonist (RAR?) for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). FOP is a rare, severely disabling and life-shortening disease characterized by spontaneous and recurrent episodes of heterotopic bone formation. Clementia has been working closely with leading FOP experts and the International FOP Association to develop a robust investigational plan for palovarotene. "We are very pleased to have Dr. Nader join Clementia's Board of Directors. His proven track record of successful development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of rare diseases will provide the Company with a valuable perspective as we move forward with our upcoming clinical studies for palovarotene in FOP," stated Clarissa Desjardins, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Clementia. Dr. Nader will serve on Clementia's Board of Directors along with the Company's other pre-eminent members including Chairman, David Bonita, M.D. a private equity partner with Orbimed Advisors; Clarissa Desjardins, Ph.D., Clementia's Founder and Chief Executive Officer; Robert Heft, Ph.D., former Chief Executive Officer and Director of Enobia Pharma, Inc.; Jean-Francois Pariseau, M.Sc., M.B.A, a partner in the Healthcare Venture Fund at BDC Venture Capital; and Allan Mendelzys, Ph.D., M.B.A., former Chief Executive Officer at Thallion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "It is my great pleasure to serve on the Board of Clementia," said Francois Nader, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NPS Pharmaceuticals. "I am very impressed with the Company's management team and its dedication to providing a viable, much needed therapeutic option to treat diseases of heterotopic ossification, including fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. I look forward to contributing to the company's growth and success in a meaningful way." Dr. Nader is currently President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on pioneering and delivering innovative therapies for patients with rare diseases. Prior to joining NPS in 2006, he was a venture partner at Care Capital and served on the North America leadership team of Sanofi-Aventis and its predecessor companies in a number of executive positions including Senior Vice-President, integrated healthcare markets and North America medical and regulatory affairs. Previously, Dr. Nader led the global commercial operations at the Pasteur Vaccines division of Rhone-Poulenc in France. He earned his French Doctorate in Medicine from St. Joseph University (Lebanon) and his Physician Executive MBA from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Nader currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for BioNJ and is a Board member of Trevena, Inc., the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. He formerly served on the board of the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey and Noven Pharmaceuticals. About Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) FOP is a rare, severely disabling disease characterized by painful, recurrent episodes of soft tissue swelling (flare-ups) and abnormal bone formation in muscles, tendons and ligaments which progressively restrict movement. Flare-ups usually occur spontaneously but can also occur after soft tissue trauma, vaccinations and influenza infections. Lesions begin in early childhood, and recurrent flare-ups result in cumulative disability and premature death. There is currently no approved treatment. FOP is caused by a point mutation in the ALK2/BMP Type I receptor rendering it overactive. Virtually all known patients with FOP have the same point mutation and all have congenital malformations of the great toes at birth. FOP has a published prevalence of approximately 0.7 per 1,000,000. There are 500 members of the International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association, a well-organized patient advocacy group. About Clementia Pharmaceuticals Inc.Clementia is a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the development and commercialization of treatments for people living with rare diseases by exploiting the use of novel retinoic acid receptor gamma agonists (RAR?) to address diseases of heterotopic ossification, including fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). For more information, please visit www.clementiapharma.com. Investor/Media Contact: Jenene Thomas Jenene Thomas Communications LLC (908) 938-1475 [email protected] Source: Clementia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |