Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc.

BOSTON, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: FNCH) (“Finch” or the “Company”), a microbiome technology company with a portfolio of intellectual property and microbiome assets, today announced that it has provided notification to The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) of its intent to delist the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), from the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Finch expects to file a Form 25 (Notification of Removal from Listing) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and Nasdaq relating to the delisting of its Common Stock on or about October 31, 2024. The removal of the Common Stock from Nasdaq will be effective 10 days after the filing of the Form 25. As previously disclosed, the Common Stock has been trading on a market operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. (the “OTC”) since suspended from trading on Nasdaq on May 28, 2024 in light of Nasdaq's "public shell" determination. Following the delisting, the Company expects that the Common Stock will continue to be traded on a market operated by the OTC. No assurances can be provided, however, that trading of the Common Stock on the OTC will be maintained. The withdrawal of the Common Stock from listing and registration is being undertaken following a determination by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) that such delisting and deregistration is in the best interest of the Company and the holders of its Common Stock. The Board’s decision was based on careful review of numerous factors, including the potential for limiting the significant costs associated with preparing and filing periodic reports with the SEC and the legal, audit and other expenses associated with being a reporting company, as well as the substantial costs and demands on management’s time under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, SEC rules and Nasdaq listing standards. The Company has previously received notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq of certain failures to comply with Nasdaq’s requirements for continued listing, including a determination letter, dated February 16, 2024, informing the Company of Nasdaq’s belief that the Company is a “public shell” under the Nasdaq criteria and a deficiency letter, dated November 15, 2023, notifying the Company that, for the previous 35 consecutive business days, it did not meet the requirement to have a market value of publicly held shares of the Company’s Common Stock of at least $5.0 million pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(1)(C). In addition, on March 28, 2024, the Company notified the Nasdaq that, as a result of the resignation of Susan Graf from the Board and Audit Committee, each effective as of March 26, 2024, the Company did not meet the requirements of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2), which requires that the Company’s audit committee be comprised of three (3) independent directors. About FinchFinch Therapeutics is a microbiome technology company with a portfolio of intellectual property and microbiome assets. Finch’s objectives are to realize the value of its intellectual property estate through licensing its technology to collaboration partners and enforcing its patent rights against infringing parties through intellectual property litigation and, in certain cases, to generate additional data on selected product candidates through academic collaborations. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements. The words “expect,” “intend,” “continue,” “potential,” “may,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company’s plans with respect to the delisting and deregistration of its Common Stock; the perceived benefits and timing of the delisting and deregistration; the Company’s expectations regarding and its ability to realize the value of its intellectual property assets; and the trading of the Common Stock. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the risk that the delisting and deregistration process will take longer than expected and that the benefits of such actions may not be realized; the impact of changing laws and regulations and those risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and its subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should not rely upon this information as current or accurate after its publication date. For investor inquiries, please contact:IR@finchtherapeutics.com For media inquiries, please contact:info@finchtherapeutics.com

AbbVie's rapidly expanding Humira successor, SKYRIZI, is already achieving impressive sales growth. This IL-23 inhibitor is set to capture an even greater portion of Humira's diminishing market share with its crucial expansion into treating ulcerative colitis. LAS VEGAS, July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ulcerative colitis is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease affecting ~1.5 million patients in the US and with an unknown exact cause. It affects the colonic mucosa and is clinically characterized by diarrhea, stomach discomfort, pain, and hematochezia. The disease's extent varies, affecting either the rectum, the splenic flexure of the left side of the colon, or the whole of the rectum and bowel. As per DelveInsight analysis, the total ulcerative colitis diagnosed prevalent cases in the 7MM comprised approximately 3 million cases in 2023 and are projected to increase by 2034. Per analyst estimates, approximately 60% of cases accounted for moderate to severe cases of ulcerative colitis among the 7MM. The current treatments for ulcerative colitis depend on the severity of the disease and are broadly divided into six classes, comprising conventional therapies, Anti-TNFs, Anti-integrin agents, IL-12/IL-23 dual inhibitors, S1P-receptor modulators, and JAK inhibitors. The emergence of several mechanisms of action, like LANCL2 protein stimulators, miR-124 enhancers, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like ligand 1A inhibitors, toll-like receptor 9 agonists, and others will be expanding the treatment landscape of ulcerative colitis. There have been significant advancements in treating ulcerative colitis over the years. However, safety remains a major challenge. The lack of a safer and curative treatment option severely impacts patients' quality of life and daily activities. While current treatments are effective for some patients with ulcerative colitis, others need multiple lines of therapy, indicating a need for alternative treatments to achieve disease control. Several major pharmaceutical companies are collaborating to develop new solutions to address these issues. Learn more about the FDA-approved ulcerative colitis drugs @ Drugs for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment A few FDA-approved drugs for ulcerative colitis treatment include SIMPONI (Janssen Pharmaceuticals), ENTYVIO (Takeda Pharmaceuticals), OMVOH (Eli Lilly) VELSIPITY (Arena Pharmaceuticals/Pfizer), and SKYRIZI (AbbVie). SIMPONI is a human monoclonal antibody that targets and neutralizes excess tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, a protein associated with inflammation and tissue damage in chronic inflammatory diseases. It is the first subcutaneous anti-TNF-alpha treatment administered every four weeks as maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis. Approved for treating moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adults, SIMPONI is also being evaluated in ongoing trials for pediatric patients with the same condition. Vedolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets and inhibits the alpha 4 beta 7 integrin, preventing it from binding to the intestinal mucosal addressing cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1). This integrin is found in a subset of circulating white blood cells that play a role in the inflammatory processes of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. By blocking the alpha 4 beta 7 integrin, vedolizumab may reduce the infiltration of these white blood cells into gut tissues. It is currently approved as an IV and SC formulation for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adults who have not responded to, lost response to, or were intolerant to conventional therapy or a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) antagonist. VELSIPITY (Etrasimod) is an innovative, once-daily oral medication that acts as a highly selective modulator of the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor. Discovered by Arena, it is designed for optimized interaction with S1P receptors 1, 4, and 5, potentially offering better efficacy and safety. Etrasimod targets specific immune cells both systemically and locally and has the potential to treat various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. It is currently approved by the FDA and EMA for adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who have not responded adequately, lost response, or were intolerant to conventional or advanced therapies. Recently, on 18 June 2024, the FDA approved SKYRIZI for treating adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. This approval extends the drug's reach to approximately 1 million US patients and makes SKYRIZI the first IL-23 inhibitor approved for both UC and Crohn's disease, the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). After a 12-week induction period, patients can self-administer the medication at home using an on-body injector device, which AbbVie's press release describes as "designed with patients in mind." The device attaches to the body and delivers the medication in about five minutes. Since its approval for Crohn's in 2022, Skyrizi has emerged as a strong competitor to Johnson & Johnson's blockbuster drug STELARA in the IBD market. The AbbVie medication has captured a "significant share" of STELARA's sales. To know more about ulcerative colitis treatment options, visit @ New Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis The ulcerative colitis market is crowded with so many companies including Arena Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Abivax, Reistone Biopharma, InDex Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Landos Biopharma, NImmune, Merck, Mesoblast, and others are running clinical trials to improve the treatment space. The ulcerative colitis pipeline possesses potential drugs in mid-stage developments to be launched shortly. Some of the promising drugs in the pipeline include TREMFYA, ABX464, BT-11 (Omilancor), PRA023, Remestemcel-L, SHR0302 (Ivarmacitinib), and others that hold the potential to create a significant positive shift in the ulcerative colitis market size. Discover which therapies are expected to grab major ulcerative colitis market share @ Ulcerative Colitis Market Report TREMFYA (guselkumab) is a human monoclonal antibody targeting the p19 subunit of interleukin (IL)-23, created by Janssen. IL-23 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. TREMFYA, an IL-23 inhibitor, is a human immunoglobulin G1 lambda (IgG1λ) monoclonal antibody, produced in a mammalian cell line using recombinant DNA technology. It specifically binds to the p19 subunit of IL-23 and blocks its interaction with the IL-23 receptor. In May 2024, Johnson & Johnson released the initial data from the Phase III QUASAR maintenance study in ulcerative colitis, which achieved its primary endpoint and all major secondary endpoints, including highly statistically significant rates of endoscopic remission. Based on these findings, the company has submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA. SHR0302, developed by Reistone Biopharma, is an innovative and potent oral JAK1 inhibitor aimed at treating inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Due to its selectivity for JAK1, it may offer a safer and more effective alternative to pan-JAK inhibitors. Ongoing long-term clinical studies are investigating whether JAK1 selectivity can minimize hematological side effects associated with JAK2 inhibition, aiming to confirm a favorable risk-benefit profile (Reistone Biopharma, 2021a). SHR0302 is currently being tested in a Phase III clinical trial (NCT05181137) for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in adults. Discover more about drugs for ulcerative colitis in development @ Ulcerative Colitis Clinical Trials The anticipated launch of these emerging therapies for ulcerative colitis are poised to transform the market landscape in the coming years. As these cutting-edge therapies continue to mature and gain regulatory approval, they are expected to reshape the ulcerative colitis market landscape, offering new standards of care and unlocking opportunities for medical innovation and economic growth. DelveInsight estimates that the market size for ulcerative colitis is expected to grow from USD 8.4 billion in 2023 with a significant CAGR by 2034. This growth can be attributed to the introduction of upcoming therapies and the rising prevalence of the disease. The anticipated launch of these therapies is also expected to attract new entrants to the ulcerative colitis market, resulting in increased competition and innovation. DelveInsight's latest published market report titled as Ulcerative Colitis Market Insight, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 will help you to discover which market leader is going to capture the largest market share. The report provides comprehensive insights into the ulcerative colitis country-specific treatment guidelines, patient pool analysis, and epidemiology forecast to help understand the key opportunities and assess the market's underlying potential. The ulcerative colitis market report proffers epidemiological analysis for the study period 2020–2034 in the 7MM segmented into: Total Diagnosed Prevalent Cases of Ulcerative Colitis Age-specific Cases of Ulcerative Colitis Severity-specific Cases of Ulcerative Colitis Total Treated Patients of Ulcerative Colitis The report provides an edge while developing business strategies by understanding trends shaping and driving the 7MM ulcerative colitis market. Highlights include: 11-year Forecast 7MM Analysis Epidemiology-based Market Forecasting Historical and Forecasted Market Analysis upto 2034 Emerging Drug Market Uptake Peak Sales Analysis Key Cross Competition Analysis Industry Expert's Opinion Access and Reimbursement Download this ulcerative colitis market report to assess the epidemiology forecasts, understand the patient journeys, know KOLs' opinions about the upcoming treatment paradigms, and determine the factors contributing to the shift in the ulcerative colitis market. Also, stay abreast of the mitigating factors to improve your market position in the ulcerative colitis therapeutic space. Related Reports Ulcerative Colitis Epidemiology Forecast Ulcerative Colitis Epidemiology Forecast – 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted ulcerative colitis epidemiology in the 7MM, i.e., the United States, EU5 (Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom), and Japan. Ulcerative Colitis Pipeline Ulcerative Colitis Pipeline Insight – 2024 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key ulcerative colitis companies, including Eli Lilly and Company, Lipid Therapeutics, Hoffmann-La Roche, Arena Pharmaceuticals, InDex Pharmaceuticals, EA Pharma, Theravance Biopharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen Research & Development, Lycera, LG Chem, Iltoo Pharma, Immunic, Hutchison Medipharma, Tianjin Hemay Pharmaceutical, GlaxoSmithKline, Galapagos, Celgene, Gossamer Bio, Eisai, UCB, Suzhou Connect Biopharmaceuticals, Landos Biopharma, Seres Therapeutics, Abivax, Genentech, ParaTech A/S, I-Mab Biopharma, Sublimity Therapeutics Holdco, Reistone Biopharma, Qu Biologics, PurGenesis Technologies, Protagonist Therapeutics, Pfizer, Palobiofarma, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bridge Biotherapeutics, Amgen, Allergan, Applied Molecular Transport, AbGenomics International, Protalix BioTherapeutics, LTT Bio-Pharma Co Ltd, Dongwha pharma, Seres Therapeutics, Innovation Pharmaceuticals, Holy Stone Healthcare, SLA Pharma, OSE Immunotherapeutics, Bridge Biotherapeutics, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Sterna Biologicals, Mesoblast, Oncostellae, First Wave Bio, Oppilan Pharma, NeuClone, Morphic Therapeutic, Metacrine, LG Chem, Koutif Therapeutics, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Avaxia Biologics, Algernon Pharmaceuticals, Akeso Biopharma, Kaleido Biosciences, Rebiotix, Prometheus Biosciences, PNB Vesper Life Science, Pandion Therapeutics, Palatin Technologies, Theravance Biopharma, VHsquared, Seres Therapeutics, Hoffmann-La Roche, Provention Bio, Bacainn Therapeutics, Landos Biopharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen Research & Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Assembly Biosciences, NuBiyota, Tarus Therapeutics, Servatus, Athos Therapeutics, Aclaris Therapeutics, Exeliom Biosciences SAS, Voronoi Group, Ventria Bioscience, TheraSource LLC, Synlogic Inc, Synedgen, Surrozen Inc, StemRIM Inc, Shaperon Inc, Sareum Holdings, Saniona, RhemaStem, Regentys, Progenity, Pharmaxis, Pharmabiome, PanTheryx, Oncodesign, Nyrada, Microbiotica, MAKScientific, KoBioLabs, Istesso, Intract Pharma, Innovimmune Biotherapeutics, Impetis Biosciences, Finch Therapeutics Group, Vivreon Biosciences, NuMedii, Intact Therapeutics, Giiant Pharma, among others. Crohn's Disease Market Crohn's Disease Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report deliver an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key Crohn's disease companies, including Celgene, AstraZeneca, Abbvie, Mesoblast, Alfasigma, Tiziana Life Sciences, Abivax, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Cytocom, Amgen, Priothera, SLA Pharma, HAV Vaccines Ltd, Enzo Biochem Inc., VHsquared Ltd., among others. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Market Irritable Bowel Syndrome Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key irritable bowel syndrome companies, including Arena Pharmaceuticals, 4D Pharma, OrphoMed, Boston Pharmaceuticals, RedHill Biopharma Limited, Takeda, Cosmo Technologies, CinRx Pharma, Rottapharm, Synthetic Biologics, Biomica, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve . Contact Us Shruti Thakur [email protected] +14699457679 Logo: SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP

Dr. Kassam will lead Seed Health's clinical research and medical affairs, driving the development and validation of the company's microbiome health innovations and enhancing practitioner engagement BOSTON, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seed Health, a microbiome science company, today announced the appointment of Zain Kassam, M.D., M.P.H., as Chief Medical Officer. An award-winning physician-scientist, Dr. Kassam has played a pivotal role in the advancement of microbiome science for over a decade. His extensive body of work includes over 200 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts, including in The New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, and Gastroenterology, and co-authoring international clinical practice guidelines. He has championed more than 30 Phase I-III clinical trials with top-tier academic institutions across multiple therapeutic areas. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kassam will collaborate with Chief Scientific Officer, Dirk Gevers, Ph.D., to oversee Seed Health's R&D portfolio. He will expand the company's gut microbiome program and guide upcoming launches in the vaginal and skin microbiome sectors, as well as in brain health, metabolic health, and longevity. Continue Reading Zain Kassam, M.D., M.P.H. "I am inspired by Seed Health's unwavering commitment to scientific excellence for everyday health and its pioneering platform for microbiome innovation," said Dr. Kassam. "The convergence of Seed's comprehensive microbiome insights with robust clinical validation offers a unique opportunity to advance the next generation of microbiome interventions and make a true impact on human lives." Dr. Kassam will oversee Seed Health's clinical strategy, guiding the trajectory from discovery through go-to-market. Collaborating with Seed Health's scientific and clinical advisory boards, as well as healthcare practitioners, he will ensure the company's interventions meet the highest standards of clinical efficacy and directly address both practitioner and patient needs. Furthermore, Dr. Kassam will manage medical affairs, stewarding awareness of the microbiome's impact on health and enhancing the understanding of Seed's clinically validated products throughout the healthcare ecosystem. Before joining Seed Health, Dr. Kassam co-founded and was Chief Medical Officer at two foundational microbiome therapeutics companies, OpenBiome and Finch Therapeutics. At OpenBiome, he was instrumental in creating the first public stool bank, setting a new standard for safe fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and pioneering clinical research in the microbiome. His tenure at Finch Therapeutics was marked by remarkable growth, as he led two landmark positive Phase II trials, and led the company through its NASDAQ IPO. Dr. Kassam has served as a Scientific Advisory Board member for the American Gastroenterological Association Center for Gut Microbiome Research & Education, and Co-Chair of the Chief Medical Officer 360o Summit, where he facilitated knowledge translation to clinicians. "Dr. Kassam's work seamlessly bridges the gap between clinical practice and microbiome science, transforming scientific discovery into real-world applications," said Raja Dhir, Co-Founder of Seed Health. "With the leadership of Dr. Kassam, we will significantly expand the impact of our work, introducing innovations essential to the ecology of care and redefining excellence in microbial innovation." Dr. Kassam is the latest high-profile addition to Seed Health's scientific leadership team, joining Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Gevers, formerly of the Janssen Human Microbiome Institute. He will also collaborate closely with esteemed partner scientists such as immunologist Dr. Cezmi Akdis, pioneering vaginal microbiome scientist Dr. Jacques Ravel, computational biologist Dr. Eran Segal, and microbiome researcher Dr. Sarkis Mazmanian, known for his work on the gut-brain axis. This dynamic team reflects Seed Health's commitment to stewarding microbiome applications for human and planetary health. "Dr. Kassam's expertise in microbiome science will be instrumental in fully realizing the potential of our advanced platform," said Dr. Gevers. "His distinguished track record in clinical development and foundational research ensures that we can transform cutting-edge microbiome insights into practical, effective health solutions." Dr. Kassam holds an M.P.H. from Harvard University and has completed postdoctoral training at MIT. He was awarded his M.D. from Western University in London, Canada. Dr. Kassam completed his Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology training at McMaster University. Dr. Kassam has received numerous awards, including the 2020 Public Health Innovator Award from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, among the most prestigious awards for Alumni. Media Contact [email protected] About Seed Health Seed Health is a microbiome science company pioneering innovations in probiotics and living medicines to impact human and planetary health. Founded to realize the potential of the microbiome, our platform enables the translation of breakthrough science across a portfolio targeting health outcomes from infancy to aging. Our consumer innovations are commercialized under Seed®—an award-winning, science-first brand known for clinically validated innovations in probiotics. Our pipeline encompasses both indication-specific and preventive applications for gastrointestinal and digestive health, women's health, skin, pediatrics, mental health, metabolic function, and nutrition. Our environmental research is conducted under SeedLabs, which was founded to advance novel bacterial interventions to enhance biodiversity and restore ecosystems impacted by human activity. SOURCE Seed Health