Preeminent translational cancer immunotherapy researcher and renowned clinical/commercial cancer immunotherapy expert join the advisory board
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., May 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies and infectious disease vaccines based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune® T-cell activating technology, today announced the appointment of Dr. Olivera Finn and Dr. Mark Frohlich to its Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Olivera Finn is a Distinguished Professor of Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. Dr. Finn brings over three decades of expertise in translational research in immunology and oncology, including the discovery of the first tumor-associated protein (antigen) recognized by T-cells, called MUC-1. In 2016, she received the National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Award for her pioneering and extensive ground-breaking research in cancer immunotherapy. Previously, Dr. Finn served as the Director of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists. Dr. Finn obtained a Ph.D. in Immunology, and subsequently completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.
Dr. Mark Frohlich is a renowned medical oncologist and biopharma executive who brings over 20 years of experience in developing immunotherapies for cancer. Dr. Frohlich has extensive clinical drug development and translational research expertise. As the Chief Medical Officer and Executive VP of R&D at Dendreon Corporation, he led the clinical team responsible for the development and approval of Provenge® for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Provenge® was the first therapeutic cancer vaccine to gain FDA approval. He subsequently served as Executive VP of Portfolio Strategy at Juno Therapeutics. Dr. Frohlich received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his internal medicine residency and oncology fellowship at University of California San Francisco.
“We are excited to add Dr. Olivera Finn, Ph.D. and Dr. Mark Frohlich, M.D., two world-renowned immunotherapy experts, to our Scientific Advisory Board," commented Dr. Lauren V. Wood, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of PDS Biotech. "These appointments further strengthen our translational research expertise in immuno-oncology as we prepare to progress clinical development of PDS0102 and PDS0103 for prostate and MUC-1 associated cancers respectively, and continue to advance our lead cancer immunotherapy PDS0101 through Phase 2 clinical testing. We very much look forward to adding their experience and guidance to our team of accomplished advisors.”
About PDS Biotechnology
PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of cancer immunotherapies and infectious disease vaccines based on the Company’s proprietary Versamune® T-cell activating technology platform. Our Versamune®-based products overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy by inducing in vivo, large quantities of high-quality, highly potent polyfunctional tumor specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ killer T-cells. PDS Biotech has developed multiple therapies, based on combinations of Versamune® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the immune system to better recognize diseased cells and effectively attack and destroy them. Our immuno-oncology product candidates are initially being studied in combination therapy to potentially enhance efficacy without compounding toxicity across a range of cancer types. The company’s lead investigational cancer immunotherapy product PDS0101 is currently in Phase 2 clinical studies in HPV-associated cancers. PDS Biotech is also collaborating with the National Cancer Institute to develop PDS0102 for prostate and breast cancers and to develop PDS0103, a MUC-1 targeting immunotherapy for breast, colon, lung and ovarian cancers. PDS Biotech has developed multiple therapies, based on combinations of Versamune® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the immune system to better recognize diseased cells and effectively attack and destroy them. To learn more, please visit www.pdsbiotech.com or follow us on Twitter at @PDSBiotech.
Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended) concerning PDS Biotechnology Corporation (the “Company”) and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “forecast,” “guidance”, “outlook” and other similar expressions among others. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; the Company’s anticipated capital requirements, including the Company’s anticipated cash runway and the Company’s current expectations regarding its plans for future equity financings; the Company’s dependence on additional financing to fund its operations and complete the development and commercialization of its product candidates, and the risks that raising such additional capital may restrict the Company’s operations or require the Company to relinquish rights to the Company’s technologies or product candidates; the Company’s limited operating history in the Company’s current line of business, which makes it difficult to evaluate the Company’s prospects, the Company’s business plan or the likelihood of the Company’s successful implementation of such business plan; the timing for the Company or its partners to initiate the planned clinical trials for PDS0101, PDS0203 and other Versamune® based products; the future success of such trials; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations, including any collaboration studies concerning PDS0101, PDS0203 and other Versamune® based products and the Company’s interpretation of the results and findings of such programs and collaborations and whether such results are sufficient to support the future success of the Company’s product candidates; the success, timing and cost of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials and anticipated clinical trials for the Company’s current product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation, pace of enrollment and completion of the trials (including our ability to fully fund our disclosed clinical trials, which assumes no material changes to our currently projected expenses), futility analyses, presentations at conferences and data reported in an abstract, and receipt of interim results, which are not necessarily indicative of the final results of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials; the acceptance by the market of the Company’s product candidates, if approved; the timing of and the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, the Company’s product candidates; and other factors, including legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments not within the Company’s control, including unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to COVID-19. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in the Company’s annual and periodic reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Media & Investor Relations Contact:
Deanne Randolph
PDS Biotech
Phone: +1 (908) 517-3613
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rich Cockrell
CG Capital
Phone: +1 (404) 736-3838
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
