Veana Therapeutics Appoints Denis R. Burger, Ph.D. to Board of Directors

Industry Veteran with Proven Track Record in HIV Drug Development Bolsters Company’s Board with Scientific, Operational, and Financial Expertise

PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / December 21, 2017 / Veana Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel oral therapies for the treatment of cancer to improve patients’ quality of life and bring hope to their families, today announced the appointment of Denis R. Burger, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Burger is a life sciences executive with over 28 years of extensive scientific, operational, and financial experience in the biotech industry.

As CEO or chairman of several biotechnology companies, Dr. Burger has led numerous corporate finance transactions and public securities offerings and has experience leading R&D, GMP manufacturing and clinical development functional areas. Additionally, he holds a patent for a method of detecting AIDS virus infection and oversaw the development of the first monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for clinical use. Dr. Burger joins Veana’s board as the company prepares to advance the clinical development of VIMO-001, a proprietary oral immune modulator for the treatment of cancer.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Burger to the Veana Therapeutics Board of Directors during this important time,” said Dr. Emmanuel Akporiaye, Veana’s Chairman of the Board. “Denis’ scientific and industry expertise, business acumen and experience in leading successful biotech companies will prove to be invaluable to the company.”

Dr. Burger commented, “The Veana management team and board of directors have identified a clear strategic path for its first-in-class, oral immune modulator, VIMO-001. I am excited to join Veana’s board of directors and truly believe VIMO-001 has the potential to change the treatment paradigm for cancer patients.”

Dr. Burger is currently Vice Chairman and Chief Science Officer of CytoDyn Inc, an HIV therapeutics, OTC-listed company. Dr. Burger is also currently lead independent director of Aptose Bioscience Inc., a cancer therapeutics, NASDAQ-listed company. Dr. Burger co-founded Trinity Biotech plc, a NASDAQ-listed diagnostic company, in June 1992, served as its Chairman from June 1992 to May 1995, and is currently lead independent director. Until March 2007, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AVI Biopharma Inc. (now Sarepta Therapeutics), a NASDAQ-listed RNA therapeutics company. He was also a co-founder of Epitope Inc. (now Orasure Technologies, NASDAQ-listed), serving as its Chairman from 1981 to 1990. Dr. Burger previously held a professorship in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Surgery (Surgical Oncology) at the Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland. Dr. Burger received his undergraduate degree in Bacteriology and Immunology from the University of California in Berkeley and his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Arizona.

About VIMO-001

VIMO-001 belongs to a new class of multi-pathway oral anti-cancer therapeutics that selectively attack the mitochondria of rapidly dividing tumor cells to trigger cell death through both apoptosis and autophagy mechanisms. The resulting tumor cell death stimulates the release of “danger signals” such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), which contribute to the enhancement of the anti-cancer immune response via “auto-immunization.” VIMO-001 is stable at ambient temperatures and appears to be a powerful anti-cancer agent while not being a drug, leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements as compared to drug therapies currently in use.

About Veana Therapeutics

Veana Therapeutics is a Portland, Oregon-based clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel oral immunotherapy products that safely and effectively treat cancer patients with minimal impact on quality of life. The Company’s lead product, VIMO-001, is being evaluated for safety in a first-in-human “all comers” Phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancers that have failed all prior therapies. The results to date are very encouraging as more than 75% of patients treated at the lowest two doses achieved stable disease and increased overall survival (OS) lasting from 1 month to 2 years. For more information on the company, please visit www.veana-therapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of United States securities laws. These statements and information represent Veana Therapeutics’ intentions, plans, expectations, and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many beyond Veana Therapeutics’ control. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or information. The words “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “attempt,” “anticipate,” “foresee,” “plan,” and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

Veana Therapeutics disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. While it is impossible to identify or predict all such matters, these differences may result from, among other things, the inherent uncertainty of the timing and success of and expense associated with research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of Veana Therapeutics products and product candidates, including the risks that clinical trials will not commence or proceed as planned; products appearing promising in early trials will not demonstrate efficacy or safety in larger-scale trials; future clinical trial data on Veana Therapeutics’ products and product candidates will be unfavorable; funding for additional clinical trials may not be available; Veana Therapeutics’ products may not receive marketing approval from regulators or, if approved, may fail to gain sufficient market acceptance to justify development and commercialization costs; competing products currently on the market or in development may reduce the commercial potential of Veana Therapeutics’ products; Veana Therapeutics, its collaborators or others may identify side effects after the product is on the market; or efficacy or safety concerns regarding marketed products, whether or not scientifically justified, may lead to product recalls, withdrawals of marketing approval, reformulation of the product, additional pre-clinical testing or clinical trials, changes in labeling of the product, the need for additional marketing applications, or other adverse events.

Veana Therapeutics is also subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including: risks associated with the actions of its corporate, academic and other collaborators and government regulatory agencies; risks from market forces and trends; potential product liability; intellectual property litigation; environmental and other risks; and risks that current and pending patent protection for its products may be invalid, unenforceable, or challenged or fail to provide adequate market exclusivity. There are also substantial risks arising out of Veana Therapeutics’ need to raise additional capital to develop its products and satisfy its financial obligations; the highly regulated nature of its business, including government cost-containment initiatives and restrictions on third-party payments for its products; and the highly competitive nature of its industry.

Mark Holifer
SVP
503-701-1618
mholifer@yahoo.com

SOURCE: Veana Therapeutics Inc.

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