ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthetic
Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN), a developer of synthetic biologics
and innovative medicines for serious infections and diseases,
announced today that Brad Spellberg,
M.D., joined the Company's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Spellberg
is an infectious disease specialist whose NIH-funded laboratory
studies highly drug-resistant infections in an effort to develop
vaccines and immune therapies to prevent and treat them. He has
also worked closely with the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(IDSA) to focus attention on the rising public health crisis caused
by increasing antibiotic resistance and decreasing new antibiotic
development.
Dr. Spellberg is an Associate Professor of Medicine, David
Geffen School of Medicine in the Division of General Internal
Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and Associate Program
Director for Internal Medicine Residency Training Program,
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and LA BioMed. His research regarding
new drug development for the prevention and treatment of infectious
diseases became the foundation for the IDSA's white paper, "Bad
Bugs, No Drugs," and has been cited extensively in medical
publications and on Capitol Hill. He is a Fellow in the IDSA and
has served as Co-Chair of the IDSA's Antimicrobial Availability
Task Force (AATF). As a member of the AATF, he has first-authored
numerous IDSA position papers and review articles relating to
public policy of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic development.
Dr. Spellberg is also the author of Rising Plague: The
Global Threat from Deadly Bacteria and Our Dwindling Arsenal to
Fight Them, which he wrote to inform and educate the public about
the crisis in antibiotic resistant infections and lack of
antibiotic development.
"As we expand our infectious disease pipeline, we are very
pleased to welcome Dr. Spellberg to our Scientific Advisory Board,"
stated Jeffrey Riley, Chief
Executive Officer at Synthetic Biologics. "Over the past six months
we have added development programs for the prevention of C.
difficile, and the treatment of pertussis and
Acinetobacter. With declining treatment options, these
serious pathogens have a devastating impact on patients, and they
pose a growing economic burden on society. Dr. Spellberg's medical
and research expertise in the infectious disease area should
provide valuable guidance as we continue to move our programs
forward."
Dr. Spellberg earned a B.A. in molecular cell biology-immunology
from UC Berkeley before attending the David Geffen School of
Medicine at UCLA, where he received
academic honors including serving as the UCLA AOA Chapter
Co-President and winning the prestigious Stafford Warren award for the top academic
performance in his class. Dr. Spellberg completed his residency in
internal medicine and subspecialty fellowship in infectious
diseases at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
"I look forward to working with the team at Synthetic Biologics
as a Scientific Advisory Board member. The incidence of
antibiotic-resistant infections is increasing at an astounding
rate, creating high demand for new anti-infective therapies," said
Dr. Spellberg. "Synthetic Biologics is focused on developing novel
treatments and preventions to address the growing need in the
infectious disease space, and I am particularly impressed with the
Company's clinical-stage oral enzyme candidate for the prevention
of C. difficile. C. difficile is an opportunistic
bacteria that poses a serious threat to patients and I welcome the
opportunity to provide guidance as the Company takes steps to
advance its unique prophylactic candidate towards the clinic."
About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.
Synthetic Biologics is a biotechnology company focused on the
development of product candidates for serious infections and
diseases. Synthetic Biologics is developing a biologic for the
prevention of C. difficile infection, and a series of
monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of serious infectious
diseases, including pertussis and Acinetobacter. The Company
is also developing a synthetic DNA-based therapy for the treatment
of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In addition, the Company is
developing a drug candidate for the treatment of
relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and cognitive
dysfunction in MS, and is designing a clinical development pathway
for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For more
information, please visit Synthetic Biologics' website at
www.syntheticbiologics.com.
To download Synthetic Biologics' investor relations mobile
device app, which allows users access to the Company's SEC
documents, press releases and events, please click on the following
links to download the IRapp on your iPhone and iPad or your Android
mobile device.
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 the forward movement of
our clinical programs and the expected contribution of Dr.
Spellberg. 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 move our programs forward 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.