DUBLIN, Dec. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) today announced the appointment of Daniel N. Swisher, Jr. as president and chief operating officer, effective January 3, 2018. Mr. Swisher will report to Bruce Cozadd, chairman and chief executive officer. Russell J. Cox, who has served as the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2014, has resigned, effective January 3, 2018, to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors at a biotherapeutic company that is focused on helping patients with acute forms of liver failure.
"I'm looking forward to working closely with Dan in his new position at Jazz and have great confidence in the value that Dan's extensive industry knowledge, leadership experience and strategic insights will bring to Jazz. Dan will complement our current strong leadership team as we grow and expand our global operations and further diversify our commercial and R&D portfolios," said Bruce Cozadd, chairman and chief executive officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc. "I also want to acknowledge and thank Russ for his many contributions to the growth and success of Jazz over the past seven years and wish him much success."
"I am thrilled to be joining Jazz and the management team at this exciting time for the company," said Daniel Swisher. "I look forward to working with the leadership team as we focus on global operational excellence and growth through the introduction and adoption of important new therapeutic options to patients."
Mr. Swisher will join Jazz Pharmaceuticals from Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he currently serves as president and chief executive officer and as a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Sunesis in 2001, Mr. Swisher served in various management roles, including senior vice president of sales and marketing, for ALZA Corporation from 1992 to 2001. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cerus Corporation, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Corcept Therapeutics. Mr. Swisher holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) is an international biopharmaceutical company focused on improving patients' lives by identifying, developing and commercializing meaningful products that address unmet medical needs. The company has a diverse portfolio of products and product candidates with a focus in the areas of sleep and hematology/oncology. In these areas, Jazz Pharmaceuticals markets Xyrem® (sodium oxybate) oral solution, Erwinaze® (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi), Defitelio® (defibrotide sodium) and Vyxeos™ (daunorubicin and cytarabine) liposome for injection in the U.S. and markets Erwinase® and Defitelio® (defibrotide) in countries outside the U.S. For more information, please visit www.jazzpharmaceuticals.com.