NOVA's CHAIRMAN AND CEO IS OUTGOING MERCK CHAIRMAN JOHN HUCK

Executive Summary

NOVA's CHAIRMAN AND CEO IS OUTGOING MERCK CHAIRMAN JOHN HUCK, who will assume the new position following completion of his tenure with Merck on June 30. Huck, 63, was named to the top spot of the Baltimorebased receptor technology company on April 29. He formally announced his intention to retire from Merck after 27 years with the company in Merck's 1985 annual report, released in February. At Nova, Huck will be teamed with another veteran research-based drug industry exec to direct the operations of the small research firm. Current Chairman, President and CEO Donald Stark joined Nova after a long career with Sterling. Stark will remain president of Nova. Nova's selection of Huck to head its operations is consistent with a trend among those biotech firms with products approaching the market, who fill top management slots with execs from research-based companies. Genentech's Kirk Raab, Cetus' Robert Fildes and Biogen's James Vincent have all worked for major pharmaceutical houses. Nova is currently collaborating with MIT scientists on a new polymer drug delivery system for the treatment of brain cancer.