BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. ("BriaCell" or the "Company")
(TSX-V:BCT) (OTCQB:BCTXF), a clinical-stage biotechnology company
specializing in targeted immunotherapy for advanced breast cancer,
today announces changes to its Board of Directors.
BriaCell is pleased to welcome the appointment
of Dr. Rebecca Taub, M.D., and Mr. Vaughn C. Embro-Pantalony to its
Board of Directors. Dr. Saeid Babaei, Mr. Rahoul Sharan, and Mr.
Martin Schmieg, members of BriaCell’s Board of Directors, have
resigned from the Board of Directors effective immediately.
The following members of the Board of Directors
will be included in BriaCell’s Management Information Circular for
its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April
10, 2019:
Dr. William V. Williams, Director and Chief
Executive Officer;Mr. Jamieson Bondarenko, Director and Acting
Chairman of the Board;Dr. Charles Wiseman, Director;Dr. Rebecca
Taub, Director;Mr. Vaughn C. Embro-Pantalony, Director.
Rebecca Taub, M.D., has served as chief medical
officer and executive vice president, R&D, and director of the
board for Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company pursuing novel therapeutics, since 2016.
She acted as chief executive officer and director of the board of
privately-held Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., since inception
through its merger with Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. Previously, Dr.
Taub served as senior vice president, R&D, of VIA
Pharmaceuticals, and as vice president, research, metabolic
diseases, at Hoffmann-La Roche where she oversaw clinical
development and drug discovery programs for a number of indications
including the conduct of a series of Phase I and II proof of
concept clinical trials. She led drug discovery including target
identification, lead optimization and advancement of preclinical
candidates into clinical development. She previously worked at
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company in a
variety of positions. Prior to becoming a pharmaceutical executive,
Dr. Taub was professor of genetics and medicine at the University
of Pennsylvania. She has authored over 120 research articles,
served as an assistant professor at the Joslin Diabetes Center of
Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, and was associate
investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She received
her Doctor of Medicine degree from Yale University School of
Medicine and bachelor’s degree from Yale College.
“I am impressed with the technology, and the
progress BriaCell has made so far,” Dr. Taub said. “I have been
able to help companies grow and develop therapies during my career.
I look forward to sharing my experience with BriaCell's Board and
management team to help BriaCell with its mission of developing
novel therapeutics for advanced breast cancer patients who have a
very grim expectation for life.”
Mr. Embro-Pantalony is chairman of the board of
Soricimed Biopharma Inc., a private clinical-stage biopharma
company developing targeted cancer therapies. He is also a
director of Microbix Biosystems Inc., a leading manufacturer of
viral and bacterial antigens and reagents for the global
diagnostics industry, where he also served as president and chief
executive officer from 2012 to 2017. He has held other executive
positions in life sciences with responsibility for finance,
business development, strategic planning and information technology
including vice president, finance, and chief financial officer of
Novopharm Limited; vice president, information technology, and
chief information officer of Bayer Inc.; vice president, finance,
and administration of Bayer Healthcare; and general manager,
nitrogen products, for Terra International (Canada) Ltd. He
received his bachelor’s degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and
his master of business administration degree from University of
Windsor. He is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant and a
Chartered Director (C. Dir.) and is Audit Committee Certified
(A.C.C.) through the Directors College, McMaster University.
"I am very excited to be joining BriaCell’s
Board. This is a unique opportunity to help BriaCell become a
leading immuno-oncology company by addressing a global unmet need.”
stated Mr. Embro-Pantalony.
“Both Dr. Taub and Mr. Embro-Pantalony are
widely-regarded forces in the biopharma industry, bringing expert
prowess in clinical oncology, corporate partnership strategy and
board governance,” BriaCell’s Director and Acting Chairman of the
Board Jamieson Bondarenko said. “On behalf of BriaCell’s Board of
Directors, management team, and shareholders, I would like to thank
Dr. Babaei, Mr. Sharan and Mr. Schmieg for their significant
contributions to BriaCell and wish them the very best in their
future ventures.”
"It has been a great privilege to serve as
chairman of BriaCell's Board of Directors and be a part of the team
that transformed BriaCell into a leading developer of personalized
off-the-shelf immunotherapy since its inception in 2014”, Dr.
Babaei said. “Under Dr. Williams’ leadership, I am proud to report
that BriaCell has accomplished a number of important drug
development milestones despite numerous roadblocks in the course of
the last few years. I strongly believe that the new Board members,
with their experience, will provide the Company with the corporate
strategy and scientific expertise to further advance the Company’s
goals and add shareholder value. As entrepreneurs and trusted
leaders, both Dr. Taub and Mr. Embro-Pantalony have proven track
records of success and deep experience in the biopharmaceutical
industry. Their experience and insights will be instrumental in
guiding BriaCell through its next chapter of clinical development,
particularly as the Company advances Bria-IMT™, and Bria-OTS™,
BriaCell’s novel off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy for
advanced breast cancer, into later stages of development. I wish
BriaCell’s team the very best and look forward to watching them
achieve great things in coming years. Finally, I would like to
thank my fellow departing Board members, Mr. Sharan and Mr.
Schmieg, for their service and dedication to the Company. On behalf
of the team, we wish them the best in their future endeavors.”
About BriaCell
BriaCell is an immuno-oncology focused
biotechnology company developing targeted and safe approaches for
the management of cancer.
BriaCell is currently conducting a Phase I/IIa
clinical trial of Bria-IMT™, its lead candidate, in a combination
study with pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA®; manufactured by Merck &
Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)]. The combination study is listed in
ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.
BriaCell is developing Bria-OTS™, an
off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy, for advanced breast
cancer. Bria-OTS™ immunotherapy treatments are personalized to
match the patient without the need for personalized manufacturing.
Bria-OTS™, which is expected to cover over 90% of the patient
population, is designed to produce a potent and selective immune
response against the cancer of each patient while eliminating the
time, expense and complex manufacturing logistics associated with
other personalized immunotherapies.
For additional information on BriaCell, please
visit: http://www.BriaCell.com.Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Information
Except for the statements of historical fact,
this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the
meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation which
involves known and unknown risks relevant to the Company in
particular and to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
in general, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual
events to differ materially from current expectation. These risks
are more fully described in the Company's public filings available
at www.sedar.com.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any
intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Contact Information
For further information, please
contact:BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.:Farrah
DeanManager, Corporate DevelopmentEmail: Farrah@BriaCell.com Phone:
1-888-485-6340
BriaCell Therapeutics (TSXV:BCT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
BriaCell Therapeutics (TSXV:BCT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024