Sickle cell disease treatment specialist Emmaus Life Sciences Inc (OTCMarkets: EMMA) announced on Tuesday the appointment of Willis C Lee as its new chief executive officer.

Lee was previously co-president and chief operating officer. He will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

Lee said: "We are working hard to improve the efficiency of the company by reorganising every level of our operations. We believe that these moves will better position us to serve our patients, clients, and shareholders, and equip us to face the challenges posed by the launch of generic L-glutamine. As the new CEO, I will ensure that we continue to grow our market presence in the Middle East and invest in research that will expand our pipelines and increase the value of the company."