Israel's BrainStorm names Biogen senior executive Kern as COO

Israel's BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, which is developing an adult stem cell treatment for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), named Ralph Kern as chief operating officer.

Kern, who has also been named chief medical officer, joins BrainStorm from Biogen, where he was senior vice president and head of worldwide medical. At Biogen he helped define the company's therapeutic area and scientific strategies for Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, Parkinson's, neurodegeneration and hemophilia.

He was previously head of the neuroscience medical unit at Novartis and global medical director of personalized genetic health at Genzyme Corp.

BrainStorm is preparing to conduct a Phase 3 clinical trial for its NurOwn treatment at multiple sites in the United States and Israel. The company has said the advanced trial is expected to begin enrolling patients in the second quarter.

"I am confident that BrainStorm will become the world leader in adult stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative disorders," Kern said.