Pharmaxis add new director to board

SYDNEY, Australia A drug maker in Australia has appointed an American life science investment manager to its board of directors.

Pharmaxis announced Monday that it had appointed Richard van den Broek to the position. Van den Broek is founder and managing partner of HSMR Advisors, a fund manager based in the United States with an investment emphasis on small and mid-cap biotech companies. HSMR Advisors has held stock in Pharmaxis since 2005.

Van den Broek has also had senior positions with Merrill Lynch, Oppenheimer & Co., Cooper Hill Partners and Hambrecht & Quist.

“Richard has been an engaged investor for a number of years and has great insight into the life science industry and the U.S. capital markets,” Pharmaxis CEO Alan Robertson said in a statement. “Our shareholders will benefit from his skills and experience.”