BioBehavioral Diagnostics Names Dr. Calvin Sumner as Chief Medical Officer
-- Dr. Sumner, a veteran child psychiatrist, previously served as a leader in Eli Lilly’s
neuroscience clinical product development team and brings decades of clinical and
research experience
in developing products to treat psychiatric and behavioral disorders
such as ADHD --
Cambridge, MA, October 4, 2007 – BioBehavioral Diagnostics Company (BioBDx), recently appointed Calvin R. Sumner, M.D., as chief medical officer and senior vice president of clinical development. Dr. Sumner brings extensive experience in clinical product development for the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral conditions affecting children, adolescents, and adults. His expertise will be critical in supporting BioBDx as it pursues new indications and prepares for the commercial launch of MMAT/ADHD™ System, the first FDA-cleared diagnostic system to provide objective measures for the symptoms of ADHD.
Most recently, Dr. Sumner held senior clinical development positions at Eli Lilly and Co. in the U.S. Medical Division of Lilly Research Laboratories. As a specialist in CNS disorders for Lilly USA and as a Senior Clinical Research Physician, he led Phase IIIB and Phase IV clinical research, strategic planning, and clinical development for Strattera® (atomoxetine HCL) for the treatment of ADHD. Immediately prior to coming to BioBDx, Dr. Sumner held the position of Product Medical Leader for Lilly USA in which he was responsible for medical administration and management of Zyprexa ® (olanzapine HCL), a treatment for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
BioBDx is an innovator in the development and commercialization of advanced diagnostic systems for psychiatric and behavioral disorders. The company is currently commercializing its initial lead product—the McLean Motion and Attention Test for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (MMAT/ADHD™ System). The MMAT/ADHD™ System is a non-invasive, 15-minute office-based test, which is FDAcleared to provide objective measures on the core symptoms of ADHD (Inattention; difficulty in staying focused and on task; Hyperactivity; inability to control movement and sit still while working; and Impulsivity; inability to inhibit appropriate responses.) While the disorder is estimated to affect 8 – 12% of school aged children and adolescents, and 4 – 8% of Adults in the U.S., an accurate diagnosis is often difficult because it is based upon subjective interviews and rating scale assessments by clinicians, parents, and teachers. The MMAT/ADHD™ System employs a novel set of proprietary technologies that provide objective and precise measures of the core symptoms of ADHD in a controlled and reproducible office setting.
"Calvin is joining BioBDx at a pivotal time as we plan to significantly improve the methods that clinician’s diagnose and treat patients with ADHD,” said Eric Gordon, founder and CEO of BioBDx. “He brings a wealth of experience in clinical product development, the knowledge of the latest advancements in the neuroscience associated with ADHD and other psychiatric disorders, and the practical clinical challenges associated with effectively diagnosing and treating ADHD and other conditions. As CMO, Dr. Sumner will provide strategic oversight in advancing BioBDx’s product offerings through upcoming clinical trials and in pursuing additional FDA clearances for indications in ADHD and other conditions.”
Calvin Sumner noted; “There is a pressing clinical need in psychiatry and behavioral medicine for new objective approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of many prevalent conditions, such as ADHD. Often diagnosis is complicated by multiple confounding conditions that make it challenging for even the best clinician to establish a definitive diagnosis and monitor an effective plan of treatment. BioBDx is in a position to dramatically and positively impact ADHD diagnosis and effective treatment through systematic application of a uniform and quantitative approach to clinical management. Such a biologically-based approach will meaningfully contribute to medical practices and has the potential to significantly improve the level of care available to individual patients and their families. In addition, this technology offers another vantage point for assessing and demonstrating the value of appropriate treatment in improving treatment outcomes.”
About BioBDx
BioBehavioral Diagnostics Company (BioBDx) is a privately held company whose
mission is to develop, manufacture, and market proprietary diagnostic systems for the
quantitative assessment of behavioral disorders. The company’s lead product, the
McLean Motion and Attention Test for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(MMAT/ADHD™ System), is designed to enable clinicians to accurately make officebased
diagnoses for ADHD, ensuring prompt and appropriate treatment. For more
information on BioBDx, please visit http://www.biobdx.com/.
###
For information contact:
Courtney Harris
Feinstein Kean Healthcare
617-577-8110
courtney.harris@fkhealth.com
