Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jasper Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: JSPR) (Jasper), a biotechnology company focused on the development of briquilimab, a novel antibody therapy targeting c-Kit (CD117) to address mast cell driven diseases such as chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU), as well as lower to intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) and novel stem cell transplant conditioning regimens, today announced the appointment of Thomas G. Wiggans, a veteran biopharmaceutical executive, as Chairperson of Jasper’s Board of Directors (the Board), effective immediately. Bill Lis is stepping down as Chairperson and will retire from the Board in December of this year. “We are pleased to welcome Tom to our Board as Chairperson. He brings a very strong track record with him to our Board, having served in senior leadership positions for over four decades at multiple successful biopharmaceutical companies, particularly in the dermatology space,” said Ronald Martell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jasper. “With our initial clinical study of briquilimab in CSU currently launching, Tom is joining at an important time in the growth of the company and I look forward to drawing on his expertise as we continue to expand our clinical programs. I’d like to thank Bill Lis for his years of service in helping to build Jasper as its founding CEO and for his partnership as Chairperson over the past year as we’ve prioritized our development efforts in mast cell diseases.” "I am excited to join Jasper’s Board at a transformative time in the company’s development,” said Mr. Wiggans. “I believe that briquilimab has the potential to serve as an important and differentiated treatment option across a number of indications with high unmet need, and I look forward to working with Ron and the team to bring value to both patients and shareholders.” “It has been a pleasure working with the Jasper team over the past several years, and I’m confident that the Board and company are under strong leadership as they advance briquilimab into a new stage of clinical development,” said Mr. Lis. “I will be supporting Tom, Ron, and the rest of Jasper as I transition off the Jasper Board to new company ventures.” Mr. Wiggans most recently served as Chairman and CEO of Pardes Biosciences. Prior to Pardes, he founded Dermira (NASDAQ: DERM) in 2010 and served as its Chairman and CEO until it was acquired by Eli Lilly and Company in February 2020. Prior to founding Dermira, Tom served as Chairman and CEO of Peplin, Inc. until Peplin’s acquisition by LEO Pharma A/S in 2009. He also served as Chairman and CEO of Connetics Corporation until it was acquired by Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. in 2006. Prior to Connetics, he served as President and COO of CytoTherapeutics Inc. and in various management positions at Ares-Serono S.A., including as president of its U.S. pharmaceutical operations and managing director of its U.K. pharmaceutical operations. He began his career with Eli Lilly & Co. Mr. Wiggans is currently on the Board of Directors of Annexon, Inc., and Cymabay Therapeutics Inc. He has previously served on the Board of Directors for various industry organizations, educational institutions, and both private and public companies, including service on the board of Forma Therapeutics, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Sangamo Biosciences, Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). He is currently a member of the board of trustees of the University of Kansas Endowment Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. About Jasper Jasper is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing briquilimab, a monoclonal antibody targeting c-Kit (CD117) as a therapeutic for chronic mast and stem cell diseases such as chronic urticaria and lower to intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and as a conditioning agent for stem cell transplants for rare diseases such as sickle cell disease (SCD), Fanconi anemia (FA) and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). To date, briquilimab has a demonstrated efficacy and safety profile in more than 145 dosed participants and healthy volunteers, with clinical outcomes as a conditioning agent in SCID, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), MDS, FA, and SCD. For more information, please visit us at www.jaspertherapeutics.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are sometimes accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding briquilimab’s potential, the development of briquilimab for CSU, CIndU, LR-MDS and novel stem cell transplant conditioning regimens, Jasper’s growth, Jasper’s expansion of its clinical programs, Jasper’s intention to bring value to both patients and shareholders and the advancement of briquilimab into a new stage of clinical development. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Jasper and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Jasper. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including general economic, political and business conditions; the risk that the potential product candidates that Jasper develops may not progress through clinical development or receive required regulatory approvals within expected timelines or at all; the risk that clinical trials may not confirm any safety, potency or other product characteristics described or assumed in this press release; the risk that Jasper will be unable to successfully market or gain market acceptance of its product candidates; the risk that prior study results may not be replicated; the risk that Jasper’s product candidates may not be beneficial to patients or successfully commercialized; patients’ willingness to try new therapies and the willingness of physicians to prescribe these therapies; the effects of competition on Jasper’s business; the risk that third parties on which Jasper depends for laboratory, clinical development, manufacturing and other critical services will fail to perform satisfactorily; the risk that Jasper’s business, operations, clinical development plans and timelines, and supply chain could be adversely affected by the effects of health epidemics; the risk that Jasper will be unable to obtain and maintain sufficient intellectual property protection for its investigational products or will infringe the intellectual property protection of others; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in Jasper’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q . If any of these risks materialize or Jasper’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. While Jasper may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Jasper specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Jasper’s assessments of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Contacts: John Mullaly (investors)LifeSci Advisors617-429-3548jmullaly@lifesciadvisors.com Alex Gray (investors)Jasper Therapeutics650-549-1454 agray@jaspertherapeutics.com Lauren Barbiero (media)Real Chemistry646-564-2156lbarbiero@realchemistry.com

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic cell therapies for unmet medical needs, announced today that Jill Howe will join as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, effective November 14, 2022. Ms. Howe brings more than 20 years of significant strategic, financial, and operational experience to Lineage, with an emphasis on capital strategy, corporate finance, treasury management, global infrastructure, and operational excellence. Ms. Howe has successfully built biotechnology organizations and implemented operational infrastructures alongside the execution of over $1.66 billion of capital raising transactions and will bring extensive strategic experience to the role. Most recently, Ms. Howe was Chief Financial Officer of DTx Pharma, and prior to that, was Vice President of Finance and Treasurer at Gossamer Bio, Inc., serving an integral role in the company’s initial public offering (IPO) and concurrent listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, various follow-on and debt deals, and overseeing all aspects of finance and accounting operations globally. “Jill is a wonderful addition to our executive team as we work to establish Lineage as a leader in cell therapy and cell transplant medicine,” stated Brian M. Culley, Lineage CEO. “She is a successful executive with an extensive track record of execution in capital raising, strategic financial management, global expansion, and support, as well as mergers & acquisitions, and reflects the newest expansion of our team. Our continued growth will allow Lineage to exhibit greater productivity and increase the breadth of what we are able to accomplish in the months and years ahead.” Ms. Howe most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of DTx Pharma, a biotechnology company creating novel RNA-based therapeutics to treat the genetic drivers of disease. From 2018 to 2021, she served as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer for Gossamer Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOSS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutics in the disease areas of immunology, inflammation and oncology, where she managed all aspects of finance operations, accounting, and global IT and real estate efforts, including the building-out of world-class labs and office space. She also served as a Board member of all Irish and Luxembourg subsidiaries of Gossamer Bio. From 2016 through 2017 she served as Controller & Director of Finance at Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company dedicated to the development of therapies for debilitating and life-threatening diseases that affect people with compromised immune systems, which was subsequently acquired by Pfizer, Inc. From 2013 to 2016 she served as Controller & Director of Finance at Receptos, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCPT), which was subsequently acquired by Celgene, Inc. for more than $7 billion. Prior to that, from 2006 to 2013 she worked in various accounting roles, leading up to Director of Finance, at Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOMX), which was acquired by Pernix in 2012. Ms. Howe earned her Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from San Diego State University and serves on the Board of Directors of various nonprofit, private and public biotechnology companies. In 2022, Ms. Howe won the 2022 CFO of the Year Award in the small business category from the San Diego Business Journal and was specifically recognized for her leadership in building and managing successful financial teams, laying the groundwork for success, and as a San Diegan, for contributions to the community through her local charity work. About Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. Lineage Cell Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs. Lineage’s programs are based on its robust proprietary cell-based therapy platform and associated in-house development and manufacturing capabilities. With this platform Lineage develops and manufactures specialized, terminally differentiated human cells from its pluripotent and progenitor cell starting materials. These differentiated cells are developed to either replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent due to degenerative disease or traumatic injury or administered as a means of helping the body mount an effective immune response to cancer. Lineage’s clinical programs are in markets with billion dollar opportunities and include five allogeneic (“off-the-shelf”) product candidates: (i) OpRegen, a retinal pigment epithelial cell therapy in development for the treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration, is being developed under a worldwide collaboration with Roche and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group; (ii) OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell therapy in Phase 1/2a development for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries; (iii) VAC2, a dendritic cell therapy produced from Lineage’s VAC technology platform for immuno-oncology and infectious disease, currently in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer; (iv) ANP1, an auditory neuronal progenitor cell therapy for the potential treatment of auditory neuropathy; and (v) PNC1, a photoreceptor neural cell therapy for the treatment of vision loss due to photoreceptor dysfunction or damage. For more information, please visit or follow the company on Twitter @LineageCell. Forward-Looking Statements Lineage cautions you that all statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, in some cases, can be identified by terms such as “believe,” “aim,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “design,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “can,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “should,” “would,” “contemplate,” “project,” “target,” “tend to,” or the negative version of these words and similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: Ms. Howe’s employment with Lineage and the anticipated or implied benefits thereof to Lineage and Lineage’s continued growth and ability to exhibit greater productivity in the future. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Lineage’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties inherent in Lineage’s business and other risks discussed in Lineage’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Lineage’s forward-looking statements are based upon its current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading “Risk Factors” in Lineage’s periodic reports with the SEC, including Lineage’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and its other reports, which are available from the SEC’s website. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Lineage undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progenity, Inc.. (Nasdaq: PROG), an innovative biotechnology company, announced the appointment of Jill Howe to its board of directors effective November 3, 2021. Ms. Howe was also appointed chairperson of the Audit Committee and member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. “As Progenity continues to execute its strategic transformation, we are adding key leadership capabilities that will allow us to continue accelerating our efforts to develop the drug discovery and delivery systems of the future,” said Eric d’Esparbes, interim CEO of Progenity. “Jill brings proven financial leadership and extensive pharmaceutical industry experience, which will be invaluable in her role as chair of the Audit Committee for Progenity.” “It’s an exciting time for Progenity as there is incredible depth and potential in the R&D pipeline,” said Jill Howe. “I look forward to working with the team to ensure the company’s potential is valued.” Jill Howe is the Chief Financial Officer for DTxPharma and serves on the Board of Directors for Codagenix and the MUSC Foundation for Research Development. She has more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology sector in operational and financial strategy, treasury, global infrastructure, and compliance management. Prior to joining DTx, Ms. Howe served as Treasurer and Vice President of Finance for Gossamer Bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, where she was the internal project lead for the company’s initial public offering, follow-on, and debt offerings, and oversaw finance for 18 subsidiaries across the U.S. and Ireland. She previously held Controller and Director of Finance roles at Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Receptos, and Somaxon Pharmaceuticals. Ms. Howe received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University. About Progenity Progenity, Inc. is a biotechnology company innovating in the fields of women’s health, gastrointestinal health, and oral biotherapeutics. Progenity applies a multi-omics approach, combining genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to its molecular testing products and to the development of a suite of investigational ingestible devices designed to provide precise diagnostic sampling and drug delivery solutions. Progenity’s vision is to transform healthcare to become more precise and personal by improving diagnoses of disease and improving patient outcomes through localized treatment with targeted therapies. For more information visit , or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” which statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties and are based on estimates and assumptions. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “objective,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “would,” “expect,” “believe,” “design,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “develop,” “plan” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause Progenity’s actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release, including Progenity’s ability to successfully develop and commercialize its products under development, the uncertainties inherent in the clinical drug development process, such as the regulatory approval process, the timing of regulatory filings, and other matters, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, that could affect sufficiency of existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments to fund operations and the availability or commercial potential of Progenity’s products, and those risks described in “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Progenity’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 18, 2021, and other subsequent documents we the SEC, including but not limited to Progenity’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Progenity claims the protection of the Safe Harbor contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking statements. Progenity expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Investor Contact: Robert Uhl Managing Director, Westwicke ICR ir@progenity.com (619) 228-5886 Media Contact: Kate Blom-Lowery CG Life media@progenity.com (619) 743-6294