ContraFect Corporation
(Nasdaq:CFRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology
company focused on the discovery and development of novel,
differentiated biologic therapies for life-threatening,
drug-resistant infectious diseases, today announced that Roger J.
Pomerantz, MD, FACP has been appointed Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of ContraFect and will succeed Steven C. Gilman, Ph.D., who
is retiring from his position as Chairman and CEO.
Dr. Pomerantz commented, “Having served as Vice Chairman for the
last five years, I know the company’s technology, management team
and board very well and I am extremely pleased to assume an
expanded leadership role at ContraFect as Chairman and CEO. Most
importantly, I am very excited to work in this totally new modality
of medical therapeutics, using lysins and other proteins as direct
lytic agents against serious and resistant bacterial
infections. I would also like to thank Steve for his superb
leadership of the company over the past several years and look
forward to continuing our partnership.”
“I am proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to
ContraFects’s development during my tenure as CEO, but it is time
for me to spend more time with my family. Roger has been an active
and committed board member, and his breadth of scientific and
medical expertise, particularly in the anti-infective space, as
well as his significant experience as CEO across multiple biotech
companies, makes him uniquely suited to lead ContraFect. I
have the utmost confidence in Roger’s ability to continue to
advance the company’s pipeline and I look forward to working with
him now as the company’s Vice Chairman,” said Dr. Gilman.
Dr. Pomerantz was most recently Chairman and CEO of Seres
Therapeutics, a company focused on therapeutics that regulate the
microbiome, where he now continues as the company’s Chairman of the
Board of Directors. Prior to Seres, Dr. Pomerantz was Senior Vice
President and Worldwide Head of Licensing & Acquisitions at
Merck & Co., Inc. where he oversaw all licensing and
acquisitions at Merck Research Laboratories. Previously, he
served as Senior Vice President and Global Franchise Head of
Infectious Diseases at Merck. Prior to joining Merck, Dr.
Pomerantz was Global Head of Infectious Diseases for Johnson &
Johnson Pharmaceuticals. He had joined Johnson & Johnson in
2005 as President of Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr. Pomerantz received his B.A. in Biochemistry at the Johns
Hopkins University and his M.D. at the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine. He received post-graduate training at the Massachusetts
General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Whitehead
Institute at M.I.T. Dr. Pomerantz is Board Certified in both
Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. He was Professor of
Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chief of
Infectious Diseases, and the Founding Director and Chair of the
Institute for Human Virology and Biodefense at the Thomas Jefferson
University and Medical School. He has so far developed twelve small
and large molecule drugs approved world-wide in critical human
diseases, including HIV, HCV, CMV, C. difficile and multi-drug
resistant tuberculosis.
“I am delighted to have Dr. Pomerantz expand his role at
ContraFect to CEO and Chairman. With our positive clinical data in
hand for the first lysin-based antimicrobial, Roger’s very
successful background in leading the development of multiple
anti-infectives to FDA approval will now be critical. He and
our team will continue to be focused on driving our lead molecule
and our deep pipeline to approval and launch for the desperately
ill patients who are waiting for these new modality
medicines. I want to thank Steve for his multiple
contributions to the company and look forward to his continued
guidance as Vice Chairman,” said Sol Barer, Lead Independent
Director.
About ContraFect:
ContraFect is a biotechnology company focused on
discovering and developing differentiated biologic therapeutics for
life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, particularly
those treated in hospital settings. An estimated 700,000 deaths
worldwide each year are attributed to antimicrobial-resistant
infections. We intend to address life threatening infections using
our therapeutic product candidates from our lysin platform and
through the use of other novel agents. Lysins are a new therapeutic
class of bacteriophage-derived, recombinantly produced,
antimicrobial proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated
with the rapid killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms
and synergy with conventional antibiotics. We believe that the
properties of our lysins will make them suitable for targeting
antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus
(“Staph aureus”) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (“P. aeruginosa”),
which can cause serious infections such as bacteremia, pneumonia
and osteomyelitis. Our lead lysin candidate, exebacase (CF-301) is
completing a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of Staph
aureus bacteremia, including endocarditis and is the first lysin to
enter clinical studies in the U.S.
Follow ContraFect on Twitter @ContraFectCorp and
LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking
Statements:
This press release contains, and our officers
and representatives may make from time to time, “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities
laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words
such as “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,”
“believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,”
“plans,” “potential,” “promise” or similar references to future
periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release
include, without limitation, statements regarding the company’s
ability to discover and develop novel, differentiated biological
therapies for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases,
statements made regarding Dr. Gilman’s continued partnership and
guidance as Vice Chairman, statements made regarding Dr.
Pomerantz’s ability to continue to advance the company’s pipeline
and whether he is uniquely suited to lead ContraFect, whether the
clinical data is positive, whether Dr. Pomerantz and the team will
continue to be focused on driving the company’s lead molecule and
its deep pipeline to approval and launch, , the company’s ability
to address life threatening infections using its therapeutic
product candidates from its lysin platform and through the use of
other novel agents, whether lysins are a new therapeutic class of
bacteriophage-derived, recombinantly produced, antimicrobial
proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid
killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy
with conventional antibiotics, and whether the properties of lysins
make them suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms,
such as Staph aureus and P. aeruginosa.. Forward-looking statements
are statements that are not historical facts, nor assurances of
future performance. Instead, they are based on ContraFect’s current
beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its
business, future plans, strategies, projections, anticipated events
and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because
forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject
to inherent risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that
are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond ContraFect’s
control, including those detailed in ContraFect's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among
others, our ability to develop treatments for drug-resistant
infectious diseases. Any forward-looking statement made by
ContraFect in this press release is based only on information
currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is
made. Except as required by applicable law, ContraFect expressly
disclaims any obligations to publicly update any forward-looking
statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to
time, whether as a result of new information, future developments
or otherwise. Investor Relations Contacts:
Michael MessingerContraFect CorporationTel: 914-207-2300Email:
mmessinger@contrafect.com
Lauren StivalStern Investor RelationsTel: 212-362-1200Email:
lauren.stival@sternir.com
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