SAN DIEGO, Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBIX) announced today that it has appointed Alfred W. Sandrock, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. to its Board of Directors effective immediately. Dr. Sandrock is the current Group Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB).

"We are fortunate to have a person of Al's caliber join our Board of Directors. Dr. Sandrock brings a distinguished track record of success in the development, approval and commercialization of many significant neurological products including Tysabri® and Tecfidera®," said William H. Rastetter, Chairman of the Board of Neurocrine Biosciences. "His knowledge and expertise will be a valuable resource for Neurocrine's continued transition into a commercial organization."

Since May 2013, Dr. Sandrock has served as the Group Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Biogen Inc., a publicly traded global biotechnology company. From February 2012 to April 2013 he served as Senior Vice President/ Chief Medical Officer of Biogen, and since joining Biogen in 1998, has held several senior executive positions, including Senior Vice President of Development Sciences, Senior Vice President of Neurology Research and Development, and Vice President of Clinical Development, Neurology. During his tenure at Biogen, Dr. Sandrock has been responsible for the clinical development and approval of Tysabri®, Plegridy®, Tecfidera®, Alprolix®, and Eloctate®.

Dr. Sandrock received his B.A. in human biology from Stanford University, an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard University. Dr. Sandrock completed an internship in medicine, a residency and chief residency in neurology, and a clinical fellowship in Neuromuscular Disease and Clinical Neurophysiology (electromyography) at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. discovers and develops innovative and life-changing pharmaceuticals, in diseases with high unmet medical needs, through its novel R&D platform, focused on neurological and endocrine based diseases and disorders. The Company's two lead late-stage clinical programs are elagolix, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for women's health that is partnered with AbbVie Inc., and NBI-98854, a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor for the treatment of movement disorders. Neurocrine intends to maintain certain commercial rights to its VMAT2 inhibitor for evolution into a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company.

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. news releases are available through the Company's website via the internet at http://www.neurocrine.com.

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SOURCE Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.