ContraFect Announces Appointment of Sir Richard Sykes to Board of Directors

YONKERS, NY--(Marketwire - Jun 26, 2012) - ContraFect Corporation announced today that Sir Richard Sykes, FRS, has joined the company's Board of Directors. Sir Richard has over 30 years of experience within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, serving as Chief Executive and Chairman of GlaxoWellcome from 1995 to 2000 and then as Chairman of GlaxoSmithkline until 2002. 

Sir Richard is currently the Chairman of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and is Chairman of The Royal Institution of Great Britain, Vice-Chairman of the Lonza Group, Chairman of The UK Stem Cell Foundation, and Chairman of the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC). Prior to that, he was Chairman of NHS London from December 2008 to July 2010 and Rector of Imperial College London from 2000 - 2008.

Sir Richard is a Fellow of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal College of Pathologists and Royal College of Physicians. He is also President of the R&D Society, a position he has held since July 2002. He is a Fellow of Imperial College London and Imperial College School of Medicine, King's College London and Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Cardiff and the University of Central Lancashire. Sir Richard received a Knighthood in the 1994 New Year's Honours list for services to the pharmaceutical industry.

"Sir Richard brings to ContraFect a breadth of experience unparalleled in our industry," said Robert Nowinski, CEO of ContraFect. "His understanding of drug development from inception through impact on international public-health adds greatly to our Board."

The Board of Directors of ContraFect consists of Sol Barer, Ph.D. (Chairman), Robert Nowinski, Ph.D. (CEO and Founder), Sir Richard Sykes, FRS, Isaac Blech, Cary Sucoff, and David A. Scheinberg, MD, Ph.D. ContraFect is unique in that its six-member Board collectively has over 160 years of experience in the biotechnology industry.

ContraFect used the team of Solit Tessler & Company to recruit Sir Richard to the Board of Directors.

About ContraFect:

ContraFect Corporation is a biotechnology company pioneering the use of Lysins and Monoclonal Antibodies to treat life-threatening infectious diseases. ContraFect's initial products include agents to treat diseases such as MRSA (drug-resistant staphylococcus bacteria) and influenza. Its scientific strategy focuses on the use of combination therapies where it believed that the company's products will overcome high rates of mutation and resistance observed in microbes.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Any statements contained herein that do not describe historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.