Dr. Christine V. Sapan Named President of Asana Medical, Inc.

MIAMI LAKES, FL--(Marketwired - Nov 9, 2015) -  Asana Medical, Inc., ("Asana," the "Company"), an emerging life science company focused on the development and commercialization of its innovative tissue engineered therapy to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease ("IBD"), is pleased to announce that Dr. Christine V. Sapan has been named President of Asana Medical, Inc. Dr. Sapan will assume the role and responsibilities of Marc Ramer, Founder and former CEO. Dr. Sapan will assume the leadership role at Asana, and will guide the Company in the continuing development of its first-in-class, tissue engineered treatment for IBD, a disease affecting as many as 1.6 million Americans and more than 5 million people worldwide. 

Dr. Sapan has more than 30 years experience as a C-level business and scientific leader in biotechnology with senior executive roles in clinical affairs, regulatory affairs, R&D and manufacturing at innovative companies including Neurologix (EVP), NABI Biopharmaceuticals (VP) and Beckman-Coulter. 

"We are extremely delighted and pleased that Dr. Sapan has agreed to take on a greater leadership role at our company. For many years she has successfully directed drug and biologic development and commercialization for prominent companies and having her lead Asana significantly enhances our ability to raise capital and move the company's therapies forward," stated former CEO Marc Ramer.

Dr. Sapan takes the leadership role as Asana continues its efforts to fund and commercialize its IBD therapy named ECMH, a hydrogel delivered to a patient's diseased colon that forms a protective barrier and scaffold for natural tissue recovery to occur. 

Dr. Sapan noted, "The ability of ECMH to promote a natural tissue recovery is how we differentiate our product from existing pharmacological and surgical treatments. For example with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) the current therapies focus on the treatment of symptoms not the underlying problem, the diseased tissue. The current treatments, in some cases, have significant side effects exposing patients to other medical complications. Ultimately 20% to 30% of UC patients require surgery to remove the colon. This is further validation that a new approach is necessary."

Extracellular matrix of which ECMH is composed, has demonstrated effectiveness in esophageal repair, hernia grafts, pericardial closures, and burn and wound treatments. Several of these applications have been successfully marketed for more than a decade, demonstrating a substantial record of safety and efficacy. Asana Medical, a development stage company, is the first company to be known to investigate this therapy for IBD. 

Asana has partnered with Stephen F. Badylak, DVM, PhD, MD, Deputy Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, a world-class center for its work in extracellular matrix for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. "Asana is well-positioned as new advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineered therapies are destined to be at the forefront of medicine," Dr. Sapan stated.

ABOUT ASANA MEDICAL, INC.
Asana Medical, Inc. is an emerging life science company developing tissue engineered therapies for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The Company's lead therapy, a novel application of a proven technology, will be a first-in-class therapy for patients suffering from Ulcerative Colitis. This therapy will be positioned to compete in a multi-billion dollar market dominated by biologic and drug therapies that can have significant side effects. Additionally, 20-30% of patients do not benefit from these therapies and have no alternative except colon removal surgery. Asana has an experienced management team, strong patent protection, world-class advisors in business and medicine, and compelling preclinical proof-of-concept data. For more information, visit www.asanamedical.com.

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