Claris Lifesciences Ltd.

Marc's appointment bolsters Abivax's position as a leader in the field of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases Corinna zur Bonsen-Thomas steps down as acting Chair and remains a Board Member Prof. Hartmut J. Ehrlich, M.D., retires from the CEO position PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Abivax SA (Euronext Paris:FR0012333284 - ABVX), a Phase 3 clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics that modulate the immune system to treat patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, today announces the appointment of Marc de Garidel as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Interim Board Chair, effective May 5, 2023. Corinna zur Bonsen-Thomas will step down as acting Chair, a position she has held since August 2022, and will remain a Board Member. Prof. Hartmut J. Ehrlich, M.D., will retire from the CEO position, which he has held since the Company's founding in 2013, and will stay on as a strategic advisor until the transition is complete. The Company expects to appoint a long-term Board Chair in 2023. Marc has an outstanding track record in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector and as a CEO for the last 12 years. Marc led the successful sale of CinCor Pharma for up to $1.8B, subject to the achievement of certain milestones, to AstraZeneca in February 2023, after joining the firm in July 2021. Marc also sold Corvidia Therapeutics in August 2020 to Novo Nordisk for $2.1B in total consideration after having joined the company in April 2018. He was the CEO of Ipsen between November 2010 and July 2016, overseeing the development of its U.S. presence. Prior to that, Marc worked for Amgen and Eli Lilly in jobs of increasing responsibilities in various markets, like the United States and Europe. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Ipsen since 2010 and is a member of the board of directors of Claris Bio since 2020. Marc has a degree in Civil Engineering from the Ecole des Travaux Publics in Paris, has a Master's in International Management (MIM) from Thunderbird Global School Management and an executive MBA from Harvard Business School. Marc de Garidel, new CEO and Interim Chair of the Board of Abivax, stated: "I am thrilled to join Abivax during this crucial time of company growth and after seeing the promising Phase 2b results for obefazimod in ulcerative colitis. I believe obefazimod has the potential to transform the treatment and the lives of many patients suffering from ulcerative colitis. I look forward to working with the team to assess the full potential of obefazimod for the treatment of different chronic inflammatory diseases with a high unmet medical need. I would like to thank Hartmut for his commitment and am excited to build upon his achievements." Corinna zur Bonsen-Thomas, Chair of Abivax, added: "The Abivax Board warmly welcomes Marc as the new CEO of Abivax. We believe his impressive track record and experience in the biopharma sector make him the ideal leader to take the team and obefazimod towards commercialization. We are confident he will continue to position the Company as a major player in the field of chronic inflammatory diseases, executing on Abivax's clinical and financial strategy. We also thank Hartmut for his outstanding work since the inception of Abivax." Prof. Hartmut J. Ehrlich, M.D., CEO of Abivax, said: "I am excited that Marc has been selected as the new CEO of Abivax. With his impressive track record in Pharma and Biotech, I believe, Marc is the right person to lead the Company during this important transition as it moves towards commercialization of its lead product candidate, obefazimod. After nearly a decade of leading the Abivax management team and bringing obefazimod into the global pivotal Phase 3 program in ulcerative colitis, I am grateful for the Board's support in building a strong, international management team." ***** About Abivax ( ) Abivax is a Phase 3 clinical stage biotechnology company, focused on developing therapeutics that modulate the immune system to treat patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. Abivax, founded by Truffle Capital, is listed on Euronext compartment B (ISIN: FR0012333284 - Mnémo: ABVX). Based in Paris and Montpellier, Abivax's lead drug candidate, obefazimod (ABX464), is in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. More information on the Company is available at . Follow us on Twitter @ABIVAX_. Contacts Abivax Communications Regina Jehle regina.jehle@abivax.com +33 6 24 50 69 63 Investors LifeSci Advisors Ligia Vela-Reid lvela-reid@lifesciadvisors.com +44 7413 825310 Press Relations & Investors Europe MC Services AG Anne Hennecke anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu +49 211 529 252 22 Public Relations France Actifin Ghislaine Gasparetto ggasparetto@actifin.fr +33 6 21 10 49 24 Public Relations France Primatice Thomas Roborel de Climens thomasdeclimens@primatice.com +33 6 78 12 97 95 Public Relations USA Rooney Partners LLC Jeanene Timberlake jtimberlake@rooneypartners.com +1 646 770 8858 DISCLAIMER This press release contains forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates (including patient recruitment) with respect to certain of the Company's programs. Although Abivax' management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks, contingencies and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Abivax, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. A description of these risks, contingencies and uncertainties can be found in the documents filed by the Company with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers pursuant to its legal obligations including its registration document (Document d'Enregistrement Universel). These risks, contingencies and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates. Special consideration should be given to the potential hurdles of clinical and pharmaceutical development including further assessment by the company and regulatory agencies and IRBs/ethics committees following the assessment of preclinical, pharmacokinetic, carcinogenicity, toxicity, CMC and clinical data. Furthermore, these forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates are only as of the date of this press release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Abivax disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, forecasts or estimates to reflect any subsequent changes that the Company becomes aware of, except as required by law. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement. This press release is for information purposes only, and the information contained herein does not constitute either an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe securities of the Company in any jurisdiction, in particular in France. Similarly, it does not give and should not be treated as giving investment advice. It has no connection with the investment objectives, financial situation or specific needs of any recipient. It should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for exercise of their own judgement. All opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. The distribution of this document may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession this document comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. SOURCE: ABIVAX View source version on accesswire.com:

TORINO, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Resalis Therapeutics today announced its completion of the seed financing round of €10 million to establish a non-coding RNA (ncRNA)-based therapeutic approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases. The funding will support the finalization of IND-enabling studies for the company’s lead program, RES-010, which Resalis will initially develop as a novel treatment for obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The financing was led by Claris Ventures, with participation from Italian Angels for Growth and Club degli Investitori. Concurrent with the round, Pietro Puglisi, Managing Partner at Claris Ventures, joins Resalis’ Board of Directors. The company has appointed Alessandro Toniolo, PhD, as CEO. He brings extensive experience in the life science and pharmaceutical sectors, ranging from drug development to heading marketing and sales teams at Pfizer and Novartis. “At Resalis, we are tackling metabolic disorders with a cutting-edge ncRNA modality. This novel approach has been developed by the expertise of the Resalis founders, who are leading scientists in the field. Harnessing this in-depth know-how, we determined the central role of microRNA-22 (miR-22) in metabolic disorders and have developed a potent inhibitor of miR-22, designated as RES-010. We believe that RES-010 has the potential to become a safe, well tolerated and convenient treatment option for obesity and NAFLD,” said Alessandro Toniolo, CEO of Resalis Therapeutics. “This seed funding will accelerate the development of our lead candidate and provides an orthogonal approach to other therapeutics.” Alessandro Toniolo will apply his pharmaceutical industry experience to advance the discoveries of Resalis’ scientific founders, Riccardo Panella, PhD, and Sakari Kauppinen, PhD from the Center for RNA Medicine, Aalborg University. Both have a deep understanding in the field of ncRNAs and RNA-targeted therapeutics in human health and metabolic disorders. Resalis’ lead candidate RES-10 is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that targets miR-22, a central player in the regulation of lipid metabolism and energy consumption. In multiple proof-of-concept studies in rodents and non-human primates, RES-010 showed the potential to provide a safe and long-lasting therapeutic effect, alone or in combination with approved drugs. The company is now focused on IND-enabling studies to support a first-in-human clinical trial in early 2024. “Resalis’ therapeutic approach is based on innovative science and has quickly led to the development of a lead candidate. With obesity and NAFLD, the company is addressing two indications with a high need for disease-modifying drugs that will provide sustained clinical benefit,” said Pietro Puglisi, Managing Partner at Claris Ventures and Chairman of the Board at Resalis Therapeutics. About Resalis Therapeutics Resalis Therapeutics’ transformative metabolic disease approach targets a master regulator of multiple pathways underlying obesity and fatty liver disease. The company is applying its profound understanding of the non-coding RNA drug modality and lipid metabolism to develop its lead program, RES-010, into a safe and convenient treatment providing disease-modifying therapeutic impact including durable weight loss and reduction of hepatic steatosis. Building on robust preclinical evidence, Resalis will rapidly bring RES-010 into clinical trials for a range of metabolic disorders. For more information visit our website . About Claris Ventures Claris Ventures SGR is a venture capital firm based in Italy, founded in 2019. Its first fund under management, Claris Biotech I, is focused on early-stage investments in high potential biopharma companies arisen from the Italian R&D ecosystem – both local and international. The firm identifies and supports innovation in the pharmaceutical space, investing in new companies with transformational drugs under development. It aims at the highest impact possible on highly unmet patients need, building value around strong science. Claris Ventures SGR pursuit for high potential projects involves every research center, clinical structure and company in the Italian life sciences network, whether the founding team is based in Italy or it includes Italian scientists abroad who have strong links with Italy. View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts For Resalis, please contact: Alessandro Toniolo, CEO +393386092544 alessandro.toniolo@resalistherapeutics.com Media Relations Jacob Verghese or Charlotte Spitz Trophic Communications +49 171 351 2733 resalis@trophic.eu Source: Resalis Therapeutics View this news release online at:

Scientific milestones achieved significantly ahead of schedule CAMBRIDGE, England , Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NeoPhore Limited, a small molecule neoantigen immuno-oncology company, today announces the completion of its £21.5m (US $28.5m) Series B financing, with a £6m (US $7.5m) financing extension. The syndicate comprised its Series B subscribing investors including CRT Pioneer Fund, Claris Ventures, 2Invest, 3B Future Health Fund and Astellas Venture Management. NeoPhore is focused on the discovery and development of novel first-in-class small molecule drugs targeting the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to treat cancer. The additional funding will be used to progress NeoPhore's expanding pipeline of drugs, encompassing multiple biological targets and modalities of treatment, to the start of IND-enabling studies in 2024. Dr Robert James, Chairman of NeoPhore, said: "This additional support from NeoPhore's existing investors is a strong testament to the Company's novel and differentiated immunotherapy approach. We believe that by altering the tumour genotype to elicit immunological responses, we can offer huge clinical benefit in the level and durability of anti-tumour responses in a wide range of indications for the benefit of cancer patients. 2022 was a year of remarkable progress for NeoPhore in which it demonstrated, for the first time that we are aware of, a number of exciting therapeutic consequences of inhibiting mismatch repair with a small molecule." In January 2022, NeoPhore achieved all of its investment related scientific milestones significantly ahead of schedule. In February 2022, NeoPhore expanded its research partnership with St George's, University of London after a successful collaboration investigating novel cancer immunotherapies, and in July 2022, the Company entered a three-year research collaboration agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) to further validate the potential of NeoPhore's proprietary DNA mismatch repair inhibitor (MMRi) compounds to enhance tumour immunogenicity and induce tumour immunity. Dr Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of NeoPhore, added: "2022 was a year of progress for NeoPhore. Collaborating with such prominent leaders in the field allowed us to advance our goal of developing next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics. It is known that drugs designed to spark cancer neoantigen creation and subsequently stimulate the immune system, can improve outcomes for patients who do not benefit from the current generation of cancer immunotherapies. We welcome the continued support from our investors that enables us to further develop our drug discovery pipeline." NOTES TO EDITORS NeoPhore Ltd NeoPhore, UK is focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapies to treat cancer through stimulation of the immune system. Generation of cancer neoantigens in tumours can be exploited by the patients' immune system to overcome natural defence mechanisms in cancer. The Company's approach targets the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, which has been proven to promote neoantigen creation and subsequent immunity against numerous cancers. Using these insights, NeoPhore aims to generate next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients. NeoPhore was spun-out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund. For more information, please visit About Sixth Element Capital LLP and the CRT Pioneer Fund Sixth Element Capital LLP (6EC) is a UK based fund manager, which manages the CRT Pioneer Fund. 6EC's experienced partners focus on creative and collaborative novel financing solutions designed to fund and manage innovative science in order to bring new therapeutic products and technologies to market, creating long term value and benefit to stakeholders. The CRT Pioneer Fund is a specialist oncology investment fund established by 6EC in 2012. The £70 million fund is dedicated to investments in oncology development programmes in Europe. The fund was established to bridge the investment gap between cancer drug discovery and early clinical development. For more information, please see About Claris Ventures Claris Ventures is a biotech-focused venture capital firm based in Turin (Italy). Its first fund under management, Claris Biotech I, was launched in 2020 to finance high potential biopharma companies arisen from the Italian R&D ecosystem – both local and international. We identify and support innovation in the pharmaceutical space, investing in new companies with transformational drugs under development. We aim at the highest impact possible on highly unmet patients' needs, building value around strong science. Our pursuit for high potential projects involves every research center, clinical structure and company in the Italian life sciences network, whether the founding team is based in Italy or it includes Italian scientists abroad who have strong links with Italy. About 3B Future Health Fund S.A. SICAR, formerly known as Helsinn Investment Fund S.A., SICAR 3B Future Health Fund is focused on investments in areas of high unmet patient need and aims to help companies with innovative technologies to transform new ideas into commercial solutions with the potential to impact health-related quality of life of patients. The Fund selects companies with technologies in a range of areas including cancer therapeutics and diagnostics, cancer supportive care, metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders, and dermatology conditions. For more information, please visit : About Astellas Venture Management LLC Astellas Venture Management LLC (AVM) is the corporate venture capital organization dedicated to reinforcing Astellas Pharma Inc. (Astellas) to accomplish the strategic goals. The venture capital activity of AVM is designated since 2005. Astellas, the ultimate parent company of AVM, headquartered in Tokyo is actively engaged in business as an R&D-driven global pharmaceutical company with the business philosophy to "Contribute toward improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products". Through strategic investments in private early-stage companies, the funds aim to mutual-interact with Astellas, leading to partnering/collaboration in the future. AVM will be able to provide portfolio companies with invaluable R&D advice and assistance. About 2Invest 2Invest AG (2Invest) is an investment company listed on Frankfurt market formed in 2020 from the restructuring of businesses of 4basebio AG. Our investment objective is primarily but not exclusively to identify and support emerging companies with both strong management teams and ground-breaking technologies in the biotechnology, life sciences and IT sectors. Our ambition is to enable those companies to reach new and meaningful value inflexion points. SOURCE NeoPhore