CoMentis Inc., of San Francisco, named John L. Higgins to its board of directors.

Draxis Health Inc., of Montreal, named Dan Brazier president and chief executive officer.

Exelixis Inc., of San Francisco, named Pamela A. Simonton executive vice president and general counsel and appointed Gisela M. Schwab executive vice president and chief medical officer.

GenTel BioSciences Inc., of Madison, Wisc., appointed Chris Kendrick-Parker as a new member of the company's board of directors.

Hyperion Therapeutics Inc., of San Francisco, appointed William R. Ringo chairman of its board of directors.

Idera Pharmaceuticals, of Cambridge, Mass., named Steven J. Ritter vice president of intellectual property and contracts and appointed Ekambar R. Kandimalla vice president of discovery.

Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Vancouver, British Columbia, named Michael Liggett director of the company, acting chief executive officer and president.

Isolagen Inc., of Exton, Pa., named Declan Daly chief executive officer.

Life Sciences LLC, of Phoenix, named Louis Kirby chief medical officer.

Locus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Blue Bell, Pa., named Jamie Freedman chief medical officer and vice president of clinical research and regulatory affairs.

Nastech Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., of Bothell, Wash., appointed Bruce R. York secretary and interim chief financial officer.

NexMed Inc., of East Windsor, N.J., named Jay Birnbaum to its scientific advisory board.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Emeryville, Calif., appointed Thomas J. Paulson chief financial officer.

Novalar Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, appointed Robert Stefanovich chief financial officer and named Jeffrey Lord vice president of sales.

NuPathe Inc., of Conshohocken, N.J., named George Moonsammy vice president of development.

OncoVista Innovative Therapies Inc., of San Antonio, appointed J. Michael Edwards chief financial officer.

Panacos Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Watertown, Mass., named Jane Pritchett Henderson chief financial and business officer.

Pharmos Corp., of Iselin, N.J., named Robert F. Johnston executive chairman of its board of directors.

Presidio Pharmaceuticals Inc., appointed Leo Redmond chief financial officer.

Protox Therapeutics Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, appointed Tom D'Orazio vice president of business development and strategy.

Relypsa Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., appointed Ronald Krasnow senior vice president of intellectual property and chief patent counsel.