Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE AMER: MTNB), a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving
the intracellular delivery of critical therapeutics through its
paradigm-changing lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform delivery
technology, today announced the nomination of Kathryn Penkus Corzo
to stand for election to the Company’s Board of Directors at its
2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, scheduled for November 1,
2021.
Ms. Corzo is currently partner at Takeda
Ventures, Inc. and previously Head of Oncology Cell Therapy
Development at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, a global, values-based,
R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan. Ms.
Corzo is located at Takeda’s R&D hub in Cambridge,
Massachusetts.
“We are thrilled to nominate Kathryn to our
Board of Directors,” stated Herbert Conrad, Chairman of the Matinas
BioPharma Board of Directors, and Chair of the Nominating and
Governance Committee. “Kathryn is a highly-regarded biotechnology
executive with an extensive record of drug development
accomplishments. Her leadership roles and development successes
with major pharmaceutical companies will be extremely valuable to
our Company as we develop and expand the utilization of our LNC
platform delivery technology.”
Ms. Corzo commented, “I am honored to have been
nominated to join the Matinas Board of Directors at such an
exciting time for the Company. The LNC platform presents a unique
and promising opportunity to transform the intracellular delivery
of complex molecules and I look forward to working with the Board
and the management team to optimize the value and impact of this
potentially disruptive technology.”
The Company also announced today that Patrick
LePore will not stand for re-election to the Board of Directors at
the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders on November 1,
2021.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and
Matinas, I would like to thank Pat LePore for his service to the
Company. His leadership, expertise and insight have been invaluable
in our efforts to serve the best interests of all of Matinas’
stakeholders these past three years. We wish him the absolute best
in the future,” stated Jerome D. Jabbour, Chief Executive Officer
of Matinas.
“I am extremely grateful to Jerry and Herb, as
well as the entire Board of Directors, for the opportunity to serve
the Company as Vice Chairman,” commented Patrick LePore. “With the
recently announced positive EnACT data and several other important
clinical and strategic milestones in place over the next few
quarters, Matinas is extremely well-positioned for the future.
Kathryn is a tremendous addition to the Board and her development
expertise and scientific acumen will be instrumental in maximizing
the opportunity ahead with the LNC platform.”
About Kathryn Penkus Corzo
Kathryn Corzo is a biotechnology executive who
has served in senior leadership roles for several leading
biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Since
February 2020, she has been the Head, Oncology Cell Therapy
Development at Takeda Pharmaceuticals responsible for leading and
overseeing development of Takeda’s Oncology cell therapy pipeline
including collaborations with academic and biotech innovation
partnerships. Kathryn recently joined Takeda Ventures as a partner.
Previously, Kathryn served in various leadership roles at Sanofi
Genzyme (2010-2019) where she was Vice President of R&D and
Global Program Head for Myeloma from June 2015 through December
2019. She is credited for steering multi-disciplinary teams
advancing therapeutic candidates from early proof of concept
through pivotal trials, worldwide regulatory approvals, indication
expansions and product launches. She also led an initiative to
establish Sanofi’s U.S. R&D innovation center and digital
accelerator based in Cambridge, MA. Before Sanofi, she successfully
built a two-decade career at Hoffmann-La Roche, Roche Molecular
Systems, Eli Lilly and Syndax taking on responsibility in R&D
operations, global clinical development, medical affairs, business
development, market access and brand management across multiple
platforms and indications. Kathryn has worked to improve outcomes
for cancer patients and played an integral role in the development
of 12 innovative investigational drugs and five therapeutic
products.
Kathryn holds an M.B.A. from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management and a B.S. in
Pharmacy from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.
About Matinas BioPharma
Matinas BioPharma is a biopharmaceutical company
focused on improving the intracellular delivery of critical
therapeutics through its paradigm-changing lipid nanocrystal (LNC)
delivery platform. The Company is developing its own internal
portfolio of products as well as partnering with leading
pharmaceutical companies to develop new formulations that take full
advantage of the unique characteristics of the LNC platform.
Preclinical and clinical data have demonstrated
that this novel technology can provide solutions to many of the
complex challenges in achieving safe and effective intracellular
delivery, for both small molecules and larger, more complex
molecules, such as mRNA, DNA plasmids, antisense oligonucleotides
and vaccines. The combination of a unique mechanism of action and
flexibility in both the formulation and route of administration
(including oral), position Matinas’ LNC technology to potentially
become the preferred next-generation intracellular drug delivery
vehicle and an important improvement over both lipid nanoparticles
and viral vectors.
MAT2203 is an oral, LNC formulation of the
highly effective, but also highly toxic, antifungal medicine
amphotericin B, primarily used as a first-line treatment for
invasive fungal infections. MAT2203 is currently in a Phase 2
open-label, sequential cohort study (EnACT) in HIV-infected
patients with cryptococcal meningitis. EnACT has completed the
first two patient cohorts and efficacy dated presented from Cohort
2 demonstrated 95% survival in 40 patients and mean Early
Fungicidal Activity of 0.38, well above the prespecified primary
endpoint threshold of >0.20. Enrollment in Cohort 3 has
commenced following unanimous DSMB approval, with enrollment
completion for Cohort 3 expected by the end of 2021.
MAT2501 is an oral, LNC formulation of the
broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic amikacin, primarily used
to treat chronic and acute bacterial infections. With the support
of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, MAT2501 is currently undergoing
important preclinical studies and expects to enter a Phase 1 human
clinical trial later in 2021. MAT2501 would be the first and only
oral aminoglycoside and is being positioned with an initial
indication for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM)
lung disease, including infections in patients with cystic fibrosis
(CF).
LYPDISO™, is a prescription-only omega-3 fatty
acid-based composition, comprised primarily of EPA and DPA,
intended for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic
conditions. This next-generation omega-3 therapy has been shown in
two head-to-head studies to provide effective triglyceride-lowering
and significantly higher EPA blood levels than Vascepa®. The
Company has initiated a process to identity and potentially secure
a partner to continue development of LYPDISO.
This Press Release Does Not Constitute a
Solicitation of Proxies
This press release is not a solicitation of
proxies from holders of common stock of Matinas BioPharma Holdings,
Inc. (the "Company"). The Company will provide stockholders with a
proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the
2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Any solicitation of proxies by
or on behalf of the Company in connection with the 2021 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders will be conducted upon and following the
dissemination of the proxy statement and other materials in
accordance with applicable law. We urge shareholders to read the
proxy statement and any other relevant documents to be filed with
the SEC when available, as such documents will contain important
information. Shareholders will be able to receive the proxy
statement and other relevant documents free of charge at the SEC's
website at http://www.sec.gov.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to our business
activities, our strategy and plans, the potential of our LNC
platform delivery technology, the election of Ms. Kathryn Penkus
Corzo to the Board of Directors, the potential benefits from the
potential election to the Matinas Board of Ms. Corzo, and the
future development of its product candidates, including MAT2203,
MAT2501, the anticipated timing of regulatory submissions, the
anticipated timing of clinical studies, the anticipated timing of
regulatory interactions, the Company’s ability to identify and
pursue development and partnership opportunities for its products
or platform delivery technology on favorable terms, if at all, and
the ability to obtain required regulatory approval and other
statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer
to future events or conditions. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are statements that could be
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans,"
"could," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. These
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause actual results to be materially different
from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of
risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability
to obtain additional capital to meet our liquidity needs on
acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which
will be necessary to complete the clinical trials of our product
candidates; our ability to successfully complete research and
further development and commercialization of our product
candidates; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing; the
timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; our
ability to protect the Company’s intellectual property; the loss of
any executive officers or key personnel or consultants;
competition; changes in the regulatory landscape or the imposition
of regulations that affect the Company’s products; and the other
factors listed under "Risk Factors" in our filings with the SEC,
including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this release. Except as may be
required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to
release publicly any revisions to such forward-looking statements
to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Matinas BioPharma’s
product candidates are all in a development stage and are not
available for sale or use.
Investor and Media Contacts
Peter
VozzoWestwicke/ICR443-213-0505peter.vozzo@westwicke.com
Source: Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc.
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