VANCOUVER, Washington, Jan. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB: CYDY), (“CytoDyn” or the “Company"), a late-stage biotechnology company developing leronlimab (PRO 140), a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, today announced the appointment of Maura Fleming as the Company’s vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Ms. Fleming joins CytoDyn with extensive experience in transactional, corporate and commercial law, in addition to experience in governance, securities and compliance.
“We are excited to welcome Maura to the CytoDyn team,” said Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of CytoDyn. “Her entrepreneurial spirit, broad legal background and experience in navigating the corporate life cycle strengthens our leadership team at this pivotal time. Maura will assist the CytoDyn team execute its goals as the Company continues to advance its targeted therapy, leronlimab, to address cancer, HIV and other autoimmune diseases.”
Ms. Fleming added, “I am honored to join CytoDyn and look forward to leveraging my strategic and legal insight to advise the Company during this unprecedented period of extensive growth and evolution. I am eager to start working alongside the leadership team and support the continuing evolution of its corporate governance, transactions and other legal challenges.”
Ms. Fleming has over 10 years of experience working in corporate transactional law. Before joining CytoDyn, Ms. Fleming served as counsel for Holland & Hart LLP, where she was responsible for providing legal expertise and contract management services across technology, natural foods and beverages, manufacturing, natural resources and various other industries. Prior to Holland & Hart LLP, Ms. Fleming served as senior corporate counsel at Shutterfly, a publicly traded company specialized in personal products and services, where she oversaw all aspects of the corporate life cycle and provided strategic insight on corporate risk while ensuring compliance with essential legal requirements. Ms. Fleming also served as director of legal services at Aerohive Networks, Inc., where she was involved in all aspects of the software company’s legal processes. Additionally, Ms. Fleming worked as an associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, representing and advising private companies as well as supporting public companies at every stage of the corporate life cycle. Ms. Fleming began her career at Yahoo! Inc., where she worked for seven years and held increasing roles of responsibility ultimately leading to her role as senior compliance paralegal. She received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law and her bachelor of arts degree in international relations from the University of California, Davis.
About CytoDyn
CytoDyn is a biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for multiple therapeutic indications based on leronlimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor. CCR5 appears to play a key role in the ability of HIV to enter and infect healthy T-cells. The CCR5 receptor also appears to be implicated in tumor metastasis and in immune-mediated illnesses, such as graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) and NASH. CytoDyn has successfully completed a Phase 3 pivotal trial with leronlimab in combination with standard anti-retroviral therapies in HIV-infected treatment-experienced patients. CytoDyn plans to seek FDA approval for leronlimab in combination therapy and plans to complete the filing of a Biologics License Application (BLA) in 2019 for that indication. CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 3 investigative trial with leronlimab (PRO 140) as a once-weekly monotherapy for HIV-infected patients and, plans to initiate a registration-directed study of leronlimab monotherapy indication, which if successful, could support a label extension. Clinical results to date from multiple trials have shown that leronlimab (PRO 140) can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV with no reported drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs). Moreover, results from a Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that leronlimab monotherapy can prevent viral escape in HIV-infected patients, with some patients on leronlimab monotherapy remaining virally suppressed for more than four years. CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 2 trial to evaluate leronlimab for the prevention of GvHD and has received clearance to initiate a clinical trial with leronlimab in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. More information is at www.cytodyn.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as “believes,” er the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Company’s forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks and uncertainties including: (i) the sufficiency of the Company’s cash position, (ii) the Company’s ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations, (iii) the Company’s ability to meet its debt obligations, if any, (iv) the Company’s ability to enter into partnership or licensing arrangements with third parties, (v) the Company’s ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion, (vi) the Company’s ability to achieve approval of a marketable product, (vii) the design, implementation and conduct of the Company’s clinical trials, (viii) the results of the Company’s clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, (ix) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved, (x) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Company’s products, (xi) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process, (xii) general economic and business conditions, (xiii) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions, and (xiv) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release.
CONTACTS
Media:
Grace Fotiades
LifeSci Communications
gfotiades@lifescicomms.com
(646) 876-5026
Investors:
Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D.
President & CEO
npourhassan@cytodyn.com