FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#immunotherapy–ImmunSYS, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative cancer immunotherapy products, announced today that Joseph C. Maroon, M.D., Charles J. Link, M.D., Jeffery L. Cleland, Ph.D., and Norman D. Schwartz have joined its Board of Directors.
ImmunSYS Chairman and CEO, Eamonn Hobbs commented, “We are thrilled to expand the ImmunSYS, Inc. Board with these four exceptional individuals. Their extensive breadth of knowledge in both healthcare innovation and passion for the improvement of cancer treatments will provide ImmunSYS with tremendous guidance and governance as we advance the development of our breakthrough in metastatic prostate cancer therapy.”
ImmunSYS Lead Independent Director, Douglas Watson stated, “I am excited by the collective diversity of expertise and experience brought by our newly appointed independent board colleagues, and I very much look forward to working closely with them to provide independent governance and oversight of the further development and commercialisation of the ImmunSYS technology.”
Dr. Maroon is a clinical professor and vice chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is regarded as a premiere specialist in the surgical treatment of injuries and diseases of the brain and spine, specializing in minimally invasive procedures. Consistently listed in America’s Best Doctors for the past 20 years, he has an international referral base, including numerous professional athletes and celebrities. Dr. Maroon has been the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1981 and is Medical Director of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Dr. Maroon has conducted extensive research into neurotrauma, brain tumors and diseases of the spine, which has led to many innovative techniques for diagnosing and treating these disorders. His research efforts garnered him numerous awards from various national and international neurological societies. He is the author of six books, and co-author of 40 book chapters and over 270 published scientific papers. He has given more than 150 presentations at national and international conferences and is often invited as visiting professor and key-note speaker. In addition to being a renowned neurosurgeon, he is a sports medicine expert, health and nutrition expert, Ironman triathlete and prolific author.
Dr. Link is the Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NewLink Genetics, a clinical stage company focused on the development of new immuno-oncology treatments. Dr. Link co-founded NewLink Genetics in 1999 with the idea of leveraging the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Dr Link practiced oncology for 18 years, most recently caring for patients part-time at Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates of Iowa from 1995 to 2013. He also served as director of the Human Gene Therapy Research Institute, which is part of the John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.
Dr Link was appointed by United States Senator John Glenn of Ohio to the United States Air Force Academy where he studied chemistry. Prior to graduating, he was accepted to a special program at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, where he received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and his medical degree. He interned at the University of California, San Francisco, and completed his residency and fellowship training in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, where he also served as an attending physician.
Dr. Cleland is the Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Orpheris, a clinical stage neuroscience company. He has 25 years of industry experience in research and development, including more than a decade at Genentech, Inc. His experience in startups includes major roles in obtaining more than $450 million in capital at stages from Series A through D and exit via IPO including over $300 million in capital raised as CEO. As the founding CEO of Versartis (VSAR), he led one of top biotech IPOs of all time.
He has held executive management positions at BaroFold, Novacea and Targesome, and has managed directly all aspects of pharmaceutical development and late-stage research. While at Genentech, Dr. Cleland served in product development and manufacturing roles. He held important leadership roles in the successful approval of two drugs, Herceptin® and Nutropin Depot®, as well as in early work on Lucentis®, Avastin®, and Omnitarg®. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Davis and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Cleland has authored more than 100 articles and four books and holds several issued patents.
Mr. Schwartz is the Chairman, President and CEO of Bio-Rad Laboratories, which provides innovative products and solutions for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. He assumed the Chief Executive Officer position in January 2003 after successfully running the Life Science and Diagnostics Groups of Bio-Rad. Since assuming the CEO role, the company listed on the NYSE and gained investment grade status for its debt securities. The public value of Bio-Rad has increased eight-fold to $8 Billion, since 2003.
Mr. Schwartz also has extensive international experience, including Managing Director of the Microscience division in the U.K. and President of Nippon Bio-Rad in Japan. He began his career with Bio-Rad in 1974, holding various operations, accounting and finance positions. Mr. Schwartz received a Business Administration degree from California State University, San Francisco.
About ImmunSYS
ImmunSYS, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative cancer immunotherapy products to improve the lives of patients with late-stage metastatic prostate cancer and other adenocarcinomas. The company’s platform technology, YourVaccx™ utilizes a novel combination of the proprietary ANTIGENerator™ energy delivery device system, a proprietary branded formulation of immunotherapeutic drugs, and a proprietary procedure developed by the focal prostate cancer pioneer and inventor of the male lumpectomy, Gary Onik, M.D.
This new immunotherapy therapy is designed to empower the immune system to recognize and selectively attack cancer cells. The company is initially developing this new cancer therapy for the treatment of late-stage metastatic prostate cancer, with a pipeline of additional development programs for other cancers. For more information about the company and its programs, visit http://www.immunsys.com/.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to future clinical results and the effectiveness of the company’s therapies. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Accordingly, actual results may differ significantly from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this new release are made only as of the date hereof, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law.
Contacts
ImmunSYS Corporation
Joseph Gerardi, 518-796-6110
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
jgerardi@immunsys.com