McNEIL PHARMACEUTICAL NEW PRESIDENT IS FORMER MARKETING VP THOMAS ODIORNE, 44

Executive Summary

McNEIL PHARMACEUTICAL NEW PRESIDENT IS FORMER MARKETING VP THOMAS ODIORNE, 44, a 26-year veteran with the company, McNeil announced in a recent press release. Effective since April 15, Odiorne succeeded former McNeil President Jack O'Brien who was promoted to J&J VP-corporate staff for domestic trade relations and development. Included in Odiorne's new responsibilities is McNeil Pharmaceutical Ltd. of Canada. Odiorne has been marketing vice president of McNeil Pharmaceutical. After joining McNeil in 1969, Odiorne held marketing and management positions in the Southwest before moving to the company's Pennsylvania headquarters in 1977 to become product director for Tylenol with codeine, McNeil's Rx acetaminophen combo. In 1979, Odiorne assumed the position of executive director-sales, McNeil said. He followed that promotion with VP-sales in 1982 and became VP-marketing in 1982. Odiorne's early responsibilities as president will include the launch of three new products for which NDAs are currently pending: the peripheral vasodilator, cetiedil; a long-acting form of the anti-psychotic agent Haldol (haloperidol decanoate); and the calcium channel blocker bepridil, which is licensed from Carter Wallace and will be co-marketed with that firm. Another promising McNeil product is 4-hydroxyphenyl retinamide, which was recently recommended for use as a chemopreventive agent against bladder and breast cancer by the Natl. Cancer Institute Div. of Cancer Prevention and Control's Board of Scientific Counselors. The firm's dermatological anti-proliferative agent, fenretinide and two anti-diabetic agents, linogliride fumarate and methyl palmoxirate, are also currently in clinicals.