BURLINGTON, Mass., Aug. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FLXN) today announced the appointment of Elizabeth (Liz) Kwo, MD, Staff Vice President, Clinical Data Analytics at Anthem, to its Board of Directors.
"We are delighted to welcome Liz to our Board of Directors as her broad and deep background uniquely complements our existing skills and experiences,” said Michael Clayman, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Flexion Therapeutics. “We are confident that she will provide important insights and extend our thinking as we seek to execute our strategy, drive growth and build long-term shareholder value."
Dr. Kwo has more than 15 years of experience specializing in healthcare technology product development and commercialization, marketing and sales, strategic partnerships, and post-merger integration. As Staff Vice President of Clinical Data Analytics at Anthem, she is responsible for creating an improved automated patient and provider experience to drive down cost of care. Prior to Anthem, Dr. Kwo co-founded and served as the CEO of InfiniteMD, a telemedicine company connecting patients with physicians for second opinions. She previously worked at Medtronic, American Well and she also founded multiple venture-backed companies in educational technology, digital healthcare and healthcare supplies. Dr. Kwo earned a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and her MD from Harvard Medical School. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPH from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She completed her residency in Preventive Care at Harvard Preventive Care and is Board Certified in Preventive Care and Occupational Medicine.
"I am honored to join Flexion’s Board of Directors, excited by the potential of ZILRETTA® and the pipeline candidates and eager to help guide the company as it advances its critical mission of discovering, developing and commercializing innovative treatments for musculoskeletal conditions,” said Dr. Kwo.
Indication and Select Important Safety Information for ZILRETTA (triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension)
Indication: ZILRETTA is indicated as an intra-articular injection for the management of osteoarthritis pain of the knee.
Limitation of Use: The efficacy and safety of repeat administration of ZILRETTA have not been demonstrated.
Contraindication: ZILRETTA is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to triamcinolone acetonide, corticosteroids or any components of the product.
Warnings and Precautions:
- Intra-articular Use Only: ZILRETTA has not been evaluated and should not be administered by epidural, intrathecal, intravenous, intraocular, intramuscular, intradermal, or subcutaneous routes. ZILRETTA should not be considered safe for epidural or intrathecal administration.
- Serious Neurologic Adverse Reactions with Epidural and Intrathecal Administration: Serious neurologic events have been reported following epidural or intrathecal corticosteroid administration. Corticosteroids are not approved for this use.
- Hypersensitivity reactions: Serious reactions have been reported with triamcinolone acetonide injection. Institute appropriate care if an anaphylactic reaction occurs.
- Joint infection and damage: A marked increase in joint pain, joint swelling, restricted motion, fever and malaise may suggest septic arthritis. If this occurs, conduct appropriate evaluation and if confirmed, institute appropriate antimicrobial treatment.
Adverse Reactions: The most commonly reported adverse reactions (incidence ?1%) in clinical studies included sinusitis, cough, and contusions.
Please see ZilrettaLabel.com for full Prescribing Information.
About ZILRETTA
On October 6, 2017, ZILRETTA was approved by the U.S. FDA as the first and only extended-release intra-articular therapy for patients confronting osteoarthritis-related knee pain. ZILRETTA employs proprietary microsphere technology combining triamcinolone acetonide — a commonly administered, short-acting corticosteroid — with a poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) matrix to provide extended pain relief. The pivotal Phase 3 trial on which the approval of ZILRETTA was based showed that ZILRETTA significantly reduced OA knee pain for 12 weeks, with some people experiencing pain relief through Week 16. Learn more at www.zilretta.com.
About Flexion Therapeutics
Flexion Therapeutics (Nasdaq:FLXN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel, local therapies for the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal conditions, beginning with osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis. The Company's core values are focus, ingenuity, tenacity, transparency and fun. Visit flexiontherapeutics.com.
