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RNS Number : 5028Q
4d Pharma PLC
01 March 2021
4D Pharma Appoints John Beck as Chief Financial Officer
and Member of the Management Team
Leeds, UK, March 1, 2021 , - 4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD), a
pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live
Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) - a novel class of drug derived from
the microbiome, today announces the appointment of John Beck as
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Company's
management team, bringing over 30 years of experience in finance,
including three previous positions as Chief Financial Officer of
publicly traded life sciences companies.
"John will be an important addition to 4D pharma's management
team at such a pivotal time, as the company prepares to close our
SPAC merger and begin trading on NASDAQ. His deep experience and
financial expertise as a CFO of several publicly traded life
sciences companies will be critical as we further grow our company
and global footprint," said Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer
of 4D pharma.
John Beck brings over 30 years of experience in financial and
biopharmaceutical industry management experience. This includes
three previous positions as Chief Financial Officer of publicly
traded life sciences companies where he has achieved considerable
results in areas including finance, business and corporate
development, strategy, and commercialization.
"I look forward to contributing the success of 4D pharma at this
exciting stage in its development. 4D's pioneering work to develop
promising therapies across a number of disease areas from oncology
to the gut-brain axis is clearly differentiated through its MicroRx
platform and LBP product candidates," said John Beck, Chief
Financial Officer of 4D pharma. "With several key data readouts
upcoming and our potential listing on NASDAQ, I believe 4D is well
positioned to expand and enhance its investor base and drive
further shareholder value for the remainder of 2021."
Mr. Beck has extensive investor and public relations, corporate
governance, regulatory, and fundraising expertise. Most recently he
was the Senior Vice President, Finance and CFO of Ritter
Pharmaceuticals from May 2018 to May 2020, where he oversaw its
successful merger with Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to that,
Mr. Beck served as Executive Manager and CEO at Wellspring Water
Technologies, LLC and CEO of West Tech Medical, LLC from October
2015 to May 2018. Mr. Beck also was the CFO and Senior Vice
President of Finance and Operations of Ardea Biosciences from
February 2008 to June 2012, where he raised over $160 million in
public financings, executed a $400 million out-licensing
transaction with Bayer Pharmaceuticals and completed a $1.2 billion
merger with AstraZeneca. Mr. Beck also held positions as Senior
Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and CFO of Metabasis
Therapeutics, and the Director of Finance at Neurocrine
Biosciences, leading both through successful NASDAQ IPOs.
In addition, Mr. Beck currently serves on the Board of Directors
of San Diego-based Artelo Biosciences, as a scientific advisor and
mentor to the University of San Diego's student-run TRITON fund.
Mr. Beck holds a B.A. in Accounting from the University of
Washington, Seattle, a degree in theology from a Seattle area
seminary and is a licensed CPA (inactive status) in the state of
California.
About 4D pharma
Founded in February 2014, 4D pharma is a world leader in the
development of Live Biotherapeutics, a novel and emerging class of
drugs, defined by the FDA as biological products that contain a
live organism, such as a bacterium, that is applicable to the
prevention, treatment or cure of a disease. 4D has developed a
proprietary platform, MicroRx(R), that rationally identifies Live
Biotherapeutics based on a deep understanding of function and
mechanism.
4D pharma's Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) are orally
delivered single strains of bacteria that are naturally found in
the healthy human gut. The Company has six clinical programs,
namely a Phase I/II study of MRx0518 in combination with KEYTRUDA
(pembrolizumab) in solid tumors, a Phase I study of MRx0518 in a
neoadjuvant setting for patients with solid tumors, a Phase I study
of MRx0518 in patients with pancreatic cancer, a Phase I/II study
of MRx-4DP0004 in asthma (NCT03851250), a Phase II study of
MRx-4DP0004 in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (NCT04363372),
and Blautix(R) in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (NCT03721107)
which has completed a successful Phase II trial. Preclinical-stage
programs include candidates for CNS disease such as Parkinson's
disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The Company has a
research collaboration with MSD, a tradename of Merck & Co.,
Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, to discover and develop Live
Biotherapeutics for vaccines.
In October 2020 4D pharma announced its intention to merge with
Longevity Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: LOAC), a special purpose
acquisition company (SPAC), and seek a NASDAQ listing. The merger
is expected to be completed and the NASDAQ listing of 4D pharma
American Depositary Shares (ADSs) under the ticker symbol 'LBPS' is
currently expected to become effective in early 2021, subject to
the satisfaction of closing conditions, including approval of 4D
shareholders and Longevity shareholders and the approval by Nasdaq
of the listing of ADSs.
For more information, refer to www.4dpharmaplc.com .
Contact Information:
4D pharma
Investor Relations: ir@4dpharmaplc.com
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
Julie Seidel
+1-212-362-1200
Julie.seidel@sternir.com
N+1 Singer - Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7496
3000
Philip Davies / Iqra Amin / James Fischer (Corporate
Finance)
Tom Salvesen (Corporate Broking)
Bryan Garnier & Co. Limited - Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7332
2500
Dominic Wilson / Phil Walker
Image Box Communications
Neil Hunter / Michelle Boxall +44 (0)20 8943 4685
neil@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements." All
statements other than statements of historical fact contained in
this announcement, including without limitation statements
regarding timing of the clinical trial are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and
Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements are
often identified by the words "believe," "expect, " "anticipate,"
"plan," "intend," "foresee," "should," "would," "could," "may,"
"estimate," "outlook" and similar expressions, including the
negative thereof. The absence of these words, however, does not
mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These
forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current
expectations, beliefs and assumptions concerning future
developments and business conditions and their potential effect on
the Company. While management believes that these forward-looking
statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no
assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be
those that it anticipates.
All of the Company's forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant
or beyond its control, and assumptions that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the Company's historical
experience and its present expectations or projections. The
foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect
the Company's business, including the risks of delays in the
commencement of the clinical trial and those additional risks and
uncertainties described the documents filed by the Company with the
US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), should be carefully
considered. The Company wishes to caution you not to place undue
reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of
the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
update or revise any of its forward-looking statements after the
date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
Additional Information about the Merger and Where to Find it
This press release is being made in respect of a proposed
business combination involving 4D and Longevity. Following the
announcement of the proposed business combination, 4D filed a
registration statement on Form F-4 (the "Registration Statement")
with the SEC which was declared effective on February 25, 2021.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities or
a solicitation of any vote or approval nor shall there be any sale,
issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which
such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to
registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. The Registration Statement includes a prospectus with
respect to 4D's ordinary shares and ADSs to be issued in the
proposed transaction and a proxy statement of Longevity in
connection with the merger. The proxy statement/prospectus has been
mailed to the Longevity shareholders on or about February 26, 2021.
4D and Longevity also plan to file other documents with the SEC
regarding the proposed transaction.
This press release is not a substitute for any prospectus, proxy
statement or any other document that 4D or Longevity may file with
the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and
security holders are urged to read the Registration Statement and,
when they become available, any other relevant documents that will
be filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety because they
will contain important information about the proposed
transaction.
You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC
regarding this transaction, free of charge, at the SEC's website
(www.sec.gov). In addition, investors and security holders will be
able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement and other
documents filed with the SEC without charge, at the SEC's website
(www.sec.gov) or by calling +1-800-SEC-0330.
Participants in the Solicitation
Longevity and its directors and executive officers and other
persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies from Longevity's shareholders with respect to the proposed
transaction. Information regarding Longevity's directors and
executive officers is available in its annual report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended February 29, 2020, filed with the SEC on
April 30, 2020. Additional information regarding the participants
in the proxy solicitation relating to the proposed transaction and
a description of their direct and indirect interests is contained
in the Registration Statement.
4D and its directors and executive officers may also be deemed
to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
shareholders of Longevity in connection with the proposed
transaction. A list of the names of such directors and executive
officers and information regarding their interests in the proposed
transaction is included in the Registration Statement.
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END
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