Umoja Biopharma Appoints Dieter Weinand as the Chair of its Board of Directors

Appointment is effective as of November 17, 2022


SEATTLE, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Umoja Biopharma, Inc., an immuno-oncology company pioneering off-the-shelf, integrated therapeutics that reprogram immune cells to treat patients with solid and hematologic malignancies, announced today the appointment of Dieter Weinand to its Board of Directors where he will take on the role of Chair, effective November 17, 2022.

“We are extremely pleased to have Dieter join Umoja as the Chair of our Board of Directors. As we wrap up this years’ activities and initiate our plans for 2023, Dieter’s deep expertise and business experience will be invaluable as we navigate a milestone-filled year continuing to deliver on critical value-drivers for Umoja,” said Andy Scharenberg, M.D., co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Umoja.

Dieter Weinand added, “With the ENLIGHTen clinical trial underway and Umoja positioned to advance its platforms through multiple collaborations in 2022, this is an exciting time to be joining the Company. I am truly thrilled to be a part of this group as we continue to witness how Umoja’s pipeline products and synergistic platforms can tackle many of the challenges we currently see in oncology care and expand patient access to vital therapies.”

Dieter Weinand is the former CEO of Bayer Pharma AG and is an experienced business leader with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He earned an M.S. in pharmacology and toxicology from Long Island University, New York, and a B.A. in biology from Concordia College, New York. During a career stretching back over 25 years, he has held various responsibilities in general management, commercial, operational, and strategic leadership roles, leading business operations globally, for companies including Bayer, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Sanofi. He also led the launch and marketing of products across numerous therapeutic categories, including primary care and clinical sub-specialties, including oncology. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Replimune (REPL), Member of the Board of Directors of Reunion Neuroscience (REUN), Chairman of the Board of Directors of ForeBio, Chairman of the Board of Mnemo, and Executive Chairman of the Board of ZielBioPharma.

About Umoja Biopharma
Umoja Biopharma, Inc. is an early clinical-stage company advancing an entirely new approach to immunotherapy. The Company is a transformative multi-platform immuno-oncology company founded with the goal of creating curative treatments for solid and hematological malignancies. Founded based on pioneering work performed at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Purdue University, Umoja’s novel approach is powered by integrated cellular immunotherapy technologies including the VivoVec off-the-shelf in vivo delivery platform, iCIL off-the-shelf cell therapy platform, the RACR/CAR in vivo cell expansion/control platform, and the TumorTag targeting platform. Designed from the ground up to work together, these platforms are being developed to create and harness a powerful immune response in the body to directly, safely, and controllably attack cancer. Umoja believes that its approach can provide broader access to the most advanced immunotherapies and enable more patients to live better, fuller lives. To learn more, visit http://umoja-biopharma.com/.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains forward-looking statements about Umoja Biopharma, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to vary materially, including, among others, the risks inherent in drug development such as those associated with the initiation, cost, timing, progress and results of the Company’s current and future research and development programs, preclinical and clinical trials, as well as the economic, market and social disruptions due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. 

Umoja Media Contact:
Karissa Cross, Ph.D.
LifeSci Communications
kcross@lifescicomms.com