ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthetic
Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN), a developer of synthetic biologics
and innovative medicines for serious diseases and unmet medical
needs, announced today that Charles B.
Shoemaker, Ph.D., joined the Company's Scientific Advisory
Board. With over 30 years of experience as a scientist in academia,
government agencies and the biotechnology industry, Dr. Shoemaker
currently serves as Professor of Biomedical Sciences at
Tufts University's Cummings School of
Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Shoemaker's laboratory at the Cummings School at
Tufts is developing treatments for both
the prevention and cure of intoxication from a number of microbial
toxins, primarily bioterror threat agents such as Botulinum
neurotoxins as well as toxins from Clostridium difficile, E.
coli, anthrax and ricin. In addition, he co-leads the Molecular
Helminthology Laboratory at Tufts, in
which research is directed to the development of therapeutics and
vaccines for parasitic worm infections. Prior to joining
Tufts, Dr. Shoemaker led the Animal
Health Research Unit at the government-owned research company,
AgResearch, in New Zealand.
Previously Dr. Shoemaker was on the faculty and conducted his
research at Harvard University. He
began his career as one of the original scientists at the formation
of Genetics Institute, Inc., a highly successful biotechnology
company in Boston that was later
acquired by American Home Products and is now part of Pfizer
(Wyeth). Dr. Shoemaker has published over 100 peer-reviewed
scientific publications, authored five patents and four pending
patents in the biotechnology area, and is currently the principal
investigator of multiple sponsored research projects being
conducted at Tufts, including more than
$1 million per year in NIH
funding.
"We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Shoemaker to our Scientific
Advisory Board," stated Jeffrey
Riley, Chief Executive Officer at Synthetic Biologics. "As a
result of our second collaboration with Intrexon Corporation, we
are bringing new infectious disease programs on board. Dr.
Shoemaker's research in this area is expected to provide important
guidance to the Company as we build our development pipeline for
the treatment of infectious diseases with monoclonal
antibodies."
Dr. Shoemaker earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the
University of Iowa and was a
postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate,
Dr. David Baltimore. He earned a
B.S. in biochemistry from the University of
New Hampshire.
About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.
Synthetic Biologics is a biotechnology company focused on the
development of product candidates to address serious diseases and
unmet medical needs. Synthetic Biologics is developing the
following synthetic biologic candidates: a series of monoclonal
antibodies (mAbs) for the treatment of serious infectious diseases
not adequately addressed by existing therapies and a synthetic
DNA-based therapy for the treatment of pulmonary arterial
hypertension (PAH). The Company is also developing drug candidates
for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS),
cognitive dysfunction in MS and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS). For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics'
website at www.syntheticbiologics.com.
This release includes forward-looking statements on Synthetic
Biologics' current expectations and projections about future
events. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified
by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue,"
"expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are based
upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject
to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult
to predict and include statements regarding our continued
development pipeline, our intent to move our clinical programs
forward and the expected contribution of Dr. Shoemaker. The
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set
forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those reflected in Synthetic Biologics' forward-looking statements
include, among others, a failure to successfully integrate the new
management and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics'
report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2011 and any other filings with the
SEC. The information in this release is provided only as of the
date of this release, and Synthetic Biologics undertakes no
obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in
this release on account of new information, future events, or
otherwise, except as required by law.
SOURCE Synthetic Biologics, Inc.