Viamet Names Former Quintiles Executive Cohen to Management Team

Viamet Pharmaceuticals has hired Quintiles (NYSE: [[ticker:Q]]) veteran Oren Cohen to become the company’s chief medical officer as the Durham, NC, company presses forward in clinical trials. Cohen had previously worked as senior vice president, global head, early clinical development, as well as chief medical officer for Quintiles, a contract research organization also based in Durham.

Viamet is studying the antifungal VT-1161 in separate mid-stage clinical trials, one for vaginal yeast infection, and another for athlete’s foot. Another Viamet antifungal, VT-1129, is expected to start Phase 1 studies in the fourth quarter as a potential treatment for cryptococcal meningitis. A year ago, Viamet withdrew plans for an initial public stock offering and instead raised $60 million in a Series D round.

Author: Frank Vinluan

Xconomy Editor Frank Vinluan is a business journalist with experience covering technology and life sciences. Based in Raleigh, he was a staff writer at the Triangle Business Journal covering technology, biotechnology and energy before joining MedCityNews.com as North Carolina bureau chief. Prior to moving to North Carolina’s Research Triangle in 2007 he held business reporting positions at The Des Moines Register and The Seattle Times.