Dr. Cara Cassino named chief medical officer at Contrafect
Contrafect Corp., the biotechnology company developing protein and antibody treatments for drug-resistant infectious diseases at its headquarters in Yonkers, has appointed Dr. Cara Cassino as chief medical officer. Her appointment takes effect Sept. 25.
Cassino comes to Contrafect from Forest Laboratories Inc. in New York City, where, as senior vice president for global clinical development, she led a team that developed a portfolio of over 35 compounds, including seven drugs in the anti-infective space in which Contrafect focuses its research and development.
Contrafect officials said Cassino also was instrumental in Forest”™s clinical due diligence process for the company”™s $2.9 billion acquisition of Aptalis Pharma and $1.1 billion acquisition of Furiex Pharmaceuticals.
A graduate of New York University”™s undergraduate and medical schools, Cassino previously held senior executive posts at Pfizer Inc. and served as an executive medical director at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Contrafect CEO Judith Gregory described Cassino as “a superb drug developer.”  She said Cassino’s “depth of experience in clinical development, medical affairs and strategic assessment of new drug candidates and business opportunities will be invaluable in achieving our goal of bringing new medicines to patients with serious infections and growing Contrafect into a leading anti-infective company.”