EVANSTON, IL—Northfield Laboratories, a biotech company developing a blood substitute, has appointed Fleishman-Hillard veteran Sophia Twaddell as vice president, corporate communications, a new position.  She will report to Steven Gould, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer.

Twaddell brings 24 years of experience in healthcare and life sciences communications to Northfield. Most recently, she was senior vice president and partner at Fleishman-Hillard, Chicago, where she served as director of the healthcare practice for that office and also had responsibility for managing the firm’s biotechnology practice on a global basis.

According to Gould, “We expect her to play an instrumental role in communicating the scientific, commercial and investment value of our company as we continue to move our PolyHeme blood substitute product forward in our Phase III civilian ambulance trial and in our Treatment IND with the Army.”

Prior to Fleishman-Hillard, Twaddell held senior communications positions with Prudential Vector Healthcare Group, a unit of Prudential Securities, as well as Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Boots Pharmaceuticals, Bozell Healthcare Public Relations, and McCann Healthcare. 

Northfield also has retained Noonan Russo Presence Euro RSCG to provide investor relations
and corporate communications counsel. Says Gould, “Noonan Russo is well known for its exclusive focus and expertise in biotech and healthcare companies. We believe it is uniquely qualified to help us build awareness for Northfield among investors and other key constituencies.”

The Food & Drug Administration rejected the company’s first attempt to gain approval for PolyHeme, developed as an alternative to transfusion for extreme blood loss, but the firm is continuing trials and has licensing agreements with Pharmacia and others to market the drug once approved.