Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDRA; “Idera”) today announced
that Daniel Soland will join Idera on January 4, 2021, as Senior
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. Soland has
been engaged as a consultant to Idera for nearly three years. In
his role as COO, he will be responsible for commercial strategy and
manufacturing as Idera plans for success in anticipation of data
from its pivotal trial, ILLUMINATE-301, which are currently
expected in the first quarter of 2021.
“In 2021, we expect to embark on our change from a
development-stage company to a commercial company. In anticipation
of that, I am delighted that we will be adding Dan’s extensive
expertise and leadership to our Idera team,” stated Mr. Milano.
“Dan’s leadership of our marketing, sales, manufacturing, and
distribution strategy and operations will be invaluable to us on
our journey to bring tilsotolimod to patients in need.”
Mr. Soland is an accomplished leader in the biotech industry. He
most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of uniQure N.V.
and, prior to that, Senior Vice President & COO of ViroPharma
Inc. While at ViroPharma, Mr. Soland managed the commercial,
manufacturing, and quality organizations, helped build the
company’s commercial infrastructure in the U.S., Europe, and
Canada, and led the launch of Cinryze® (C1 esterase inhibitor
[human]), one of the most successful ultra-orphan drug launches in
the U.S. Mr. Soland served as President, Chiron Vaccines, of Chiron
Corporation from 2005 to 2006 and led the growth of the vaccine
business to over $1 billion in sales. From 2002 through 2005, Mr.
Soland served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Epigenesis Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, Mr. Soland
worked for GlaxoSmithKline in increasing roles of responsibility,
including as Vice President and Director, Worldwide Marketing
Operations, GSK Biologicals. He currently serves on the Board of
Directors of Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., DBV Technologies SA, and
KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mr. Soland earned his B.S. in
Pharmacy from the University of Iowa.
“I’m excited and honored to join the Idera team at this pivotal
juncture and to help prepare the company for the anticipated
success of tilsotolimod in advanced refractory melanoma and
beyond,” stated Mr. Soland. “I believe tilsotolimod represents
tremendous possibilities for patients as well as untapped potential
for Idera, and I am excited to help the company achieve its
goals.”
Idera also announced that R. Clayton Fletcher, Senior Vice
President of Business Development and Strategic Planning, will
retire at the end of 2020. Mr. Fletcher will remain as a consultant
to the Company, continuing to lead its business development
activities.
Mr. Fletcher joined Idera in February 2015 and has been
responsible for leading the company’s business development,
portfolio management and planning, manufacturing, and corporate
operations activities.
“Clayton’s time at Idera caps a successful career that spans
three decades. I have had the honor of working with him for nearly
twenty years and am extremely grateful for his partnership,
leadership, and friendship over that time," stated Vincent Milano,
Idera’s Chief Executive Officer. “Clayton’s aptitude for, and
contribution to, every aspect of our business is substantial. I am
grateful that, even in his retirement, he has asked to continue
leading our business development efforts as a consultant.”
Mr. Fletcher is retiring after 30 years in the biotech industry,
rising from his first role as a bench scientist at Centocor Inc. in
1991. Prior to joining Idera, Mr. Fletcher spent 13 years at
ViroPharma Inc. as Vice President, Business Development &
Project Management, a member of the management team, and a key
contributor to its acquisition, development, and commercialization
of innovative therapies for rare diseases. He also held scientific
and project management position at Intracel, Becton Dickson, and
SmithKline Beecham. Mr. Fletcher received B.S. and M.S. degrees in
biology from Wake Forest University.
“I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life, which
includes spending more quality time with my wife and family. My
colleagues at Idera have been my extended family for over five
years and, while I will miss the day-to-day interactions, I look
forward to staying connected as a consultant," stated Mr. Fletcher.
“I am proud of the terrific team at Idera and am confident in their
ongoing success with tilsotolimod and beyond.”
About TilsotolimodTilsotolimod
is an investigational, synthetic Toll-like receptor 9 agonist.
Intratumoral injection of tilsotolimod has been shown to promote
both innate and adaptive immune activation. Tumors with an active
immune response appear to respond better to CPIs than those that
exclude or inhibit anti-tumor immune cells. Tilsotolimod in
combination with CPIs may cause regression of locally injected and
distant tumor lesions and increase the number of patients who
benefit from immunotherapy.
Tilsotolimod has received both Fast Track designation and Orphan
Drug designation from the FDA and is being evaluated in multiple
tumor types and in combination with multiple checkpoint and
costimulation therapies. For more information on tilsotolimod
trials, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
About Idera PharmaceuticalsHarnessing the
approach of the earliest researchers in immunotherapy and the
company’s vast experience in developing proprietary immunology
platforms, Idera’s development program is focused on priming the
immune system to play a more powerful role in fighting cancer,
ultimately increasing the number of people who can benefit from
immunotherapy. Idera also continues to focus on the acquisition,
development, and ultimate commercialization of drug candidates for
both oncology and rare disease indications characterized by small,
well-defined patient populations with serious unmet needs. To learn
more about Idera, visit www.iderapharma.com.
Forward Looking Statements This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements,
other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated
in this press release, including statements regarding the Company's
strategy, future operations, collaborations, intellectual property,
cash resources, financial position, future revenues, projected
costs, prospects, clinical trials, plans, and objectives of
management, are forward-looking statements. The words "believes,"
"anticipates," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "may,"
"could," "should," "potential," "likely," "projects," "continue,"
"will," and "would" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Idera
cannot guarantee that it will actually achieve the plans,
intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking
statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company's
forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors
that could cause Idera's actual results to differ materially from
those indicated or implied by its forward-looking statements.
Factors that may cause such a difference include: whether the
Company’s cash resources will be sufficient to fund the Company’s
continuing operations and the further development of the Company’s
programs for the period anticipated; whether the Company will
require additional financing and whether such financing will be
available on terms that the Company will find attractive; our
dependence on our TLR-targeted clinical-stage drug candidates;
whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of
the final results of the trial; whether results obtained in
preclinical studies and clinical trials will be indicative of the
results that will be generated in future clinical trials, including
in clinical trials in different disease indications; whether
products based on Idera's technology will advance into or through
the clinical trial process when anticipated or at all or warrant
submission for regulatory approval; whether such products will
receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or
equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether, if the Company's
products receive approval, they will be successfully distributed
and marketed; whether the Company's collaborations will be
successful; risks related to competition; and such other important
factors as are set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in the
Company’s Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the period ended
December 31, 2019, and the Company’s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not assume any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements and it
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Idera Pharmaceuticals Contacts:
Jill Conwell Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone (484) 348-1675JConwell@IderaPharma.com
John J. KirbyChief Financial OfficerPhone (484)
348-1627JKirby@IderaPharma.com
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