The FINANCIAL -- Pharmacyclics,announced the appointment of Dr. Lori Anne Kunkel as its Chief Medical Officer.   Dr. Kunkel is board certified in hematology, oncology and internal medicine and will provide strategic input and oversight into the company's clinical development programs and medical affairs.

The company's lead clinical candidate, Btk inhibitor PCI-32765 is currently advancing through various Phase II trials and into Phase III studies in the coming year. Dr. Kunkel's experience will be instrumental in shaping the next set of trials for this clinical compound.

Dr. Kunkel has held executive positions in a variety of companies that have provided her extensive experience in developing and commercializing oncologic/immunologic therapies.  Her areas of responsibilities have included clinical, regulatory, medical affairs and licensing.  She has worked for large biotechnology corporations, and has served as Chief Medical Officer in start-up biotechs and as Clinical Vice President at Genitope and Xencor. She has led US INDs, been directly involved in multiple EU and US strategic regulatory meetings, and secured Orphan Drug designations, Special Protocol Assessments, and Scientific Advice on numerous agents.

She participated as a strategic clinical advisor and consultant to several corporations including Aton, DNAX, Salmedix/Cephalon, Zymogenetics, Onyx, Raven, and Xoma, as well as a consultant for Boston and Bay area Venture Capital firms. Prior to joining the biotech industry in 1995 Dr. Kunkel spent ten years in academic and clinical medicine and served as a faculty member in the Division of Hematology/Oncology Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kunkel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from University of California, San Diego and a medical degree from University of Southern California .

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