Wilmington-based Isosceles Pharmaceuticals recently welcomed two new team members – Herbert Neuman and Thomas L. Harrison, according to a news release.
Isosceles, an early-stage venture launched two years ago, set out to formulate and commercialize products that effectively and safely treat post-operative acute pain, the release stated.
"Using synthetic cannabidiol manufactured under an FDA drug master file – along with novel parenteral delivery systems – Isosceles Pharmaceuticals is developing a platform of proprietary, non-opioid options," said the release.
Neuman has joined the company as chief medical officer, while Harrison will serve as a strategic advisor.
"Both Herb and Tom bring a level of industry and non-opioid pain expertise that enhances our efforts," said Bill Humphries, CEO of Isosceles Pharmaceuticals, in the release. "We believe patients deserve better treatments for acute pain. Our nation's growing opioid crisis is proof positive that something's got to change. This is what drives our company every day, and we're confident Herb and Tom will help us make great strides in rewriting the healthcare narrative."
Neuman comes to Isosceles with more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, his focuses include medical affairs, new product development, launch strategies, pharmacovigilance, and business development.
Board-certified in internal medicine, he continues to practice medicine on a part-time basis. During the course of Neuman's pharmaceutical career, he's held a variety of senior executive positions, including vice president of global regulatory affairs, vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer for a Fortune 500 global healthcare company.
Harrison currently is chairman emeritus of Diversified Agency Services (DAS), the world’s largest group of marketing services companies. DAS is a division of Omnicom Group, which Harrison joined in 1992 when his healthcare advertising and medical education agencies were acquired by Omnicom Group.
Over the years, Harrison's leadership helped grow DAS from Omnicom's smallest division to its largest, accounting for over 50% of the parent company's total revenues. Harrison began his career at Pfizer Laboratories starting as a pharmaceutical sales representative and later joining Pfizer's marketing department as a product marketing director with responsibility for several of Pfizer's in-line brands.
Harrison worked closely with medical advertising agencies and became aware of their role in helping to develop and guide brand strategy and communications. He'd subsequently leave Pfizer to join a mid-sized healthcare advertising agency before co-founding his own medical advertising agency, Harrison and Star.
"The acumen and knowledge that Tom and Herb bring to Isosceles is arriving at the perfect time," Humphries said. "We have made significant strides these last months on our portfolio, strategy and plan to develop synthetic cannabidiol in various innovative patent protected forms to serve key physician and patient channels. Adding Tom and Herb into these important discussions and our Series A meetings will create incremental value."
