LAKE FOREST, Calif.,
Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Cryoport, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYRX) ("Company") today
announced the appointment of Robert Hariri,
MD, PhD to its Board of Directors.
Dr. Hariri is the Chairman, Founder and Chief
Scientific Officer of Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, one of the
world's largest human cellular therapeutics companies and
wholly owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG).
He has pioneered the use of stem cells and
biomaterials to treat a range of life threatening diseases and
has made transformative contributions in the field of tissue
engineering.
Dr. Hariri is a
visionary scientist, surgeon, aviator and
entrepreneur. He has over 100 issued and pending
patents; authored over 100 published chapters, articles and
abstracts; and is most recognized for his discovery of
pluripotent stem cells from the placenta and as a member of the
team which discovered the physiological activities of TNF
(tumor necrosis factor).
Along with J. Craig Venter,
PhD, Dr. Hariri, is Co-Founder & President
of Human Longevity Cellular Therapeutics, Inc. located in
San Diego, CA, a leader in
genomics and cellular technology. He is Founder and Chairman
of Myos Corporation located in Cedar Knolls,
NJ (NASDAQ: MYOS), an emerging bio-therapeutics and
bio-nutrition company focused on the discovery, development and
commercialization of products that improve muscle health and
function essential to the management of sarcopenia, cachexia and
chronic and acute muscle diseases.
Dr. Hariri also serves on numerous Boards of
Directors, including Myos Corporation, Bionik
Laboratories and Provista Diagnostics. Dr.
Hariri is a member of the scientific advisory board for the
Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, which is awarded by the X PRIZE
Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees
of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a Trustee of the Liberty
Science Center and has been appointed Commissioner of the
New Jersey Commission on Cancer
Research.
Dr. Hariri was recipient of the Thomas
Alva Edison Award in 2007 and 2011, The Fred J. Epstein
Lifetime Achievement Award and has received numerous other honors
for his many contributions to biomedicine and aviation. He is
an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pathology at the Mount Sinai
School of Medicine and served as a member of the Board of Visitors
of his alma mater, Columbia University School
of Engineering & Applied Sciences and the Science &
Technology Council of the College of Physicians and
Surgeons. Dr. Hariri was awarded his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees
from Cornell University Medical
College and received his surgical training at The New
York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He also directed
the Aitken Neurosurgery Laboratory and the Center for Trauma
Research.
Dr. Hariri has also produced several feature films and
documentaries, which can be reviewed at www.imdb.com.
Dr. Hariri stated, "As an established investor
in Cryoport's common stock, I have a great deal of
confidence in the need and demand for Cryoport's cold
chain and logistical solutions in the life
sciences market, which is expected to
increase substantially as cellular therapies such
as stem
cells, immunotherapies and, especially, CAR-T
cell therapies come to commercialization. These advanced
therapies require rigid
and well-designed enhanced cold chain management
solutions to ensure effective patient treatment, as
temperature excursion will affect efficacy. To effectively
bring these therapies through clinical trials
and commercialization, after receiving FDA approval,
the use of advanced cold-chain solutions, such
as Cryoport's, is crucial. The cellular
therapies market, on a broad scale, is greatly
enhanced by the presence and
use of Cryoport's technologies."
He continued, "My extensive involvement with cellular
and regenerative medicines throughout my career brought
Cryoport to my attention long before
being invited to join the Company's Board of
Directors. As indicated by my previous actions, I believe
the Company is an incredible investment opportunity as the
services Cryoport provide are crucial to
the development of the next stage of the life
sciences industry and cellular therapies, in
particular."
Jerrell Shelton, CEO of
Cryoport, said, "The appointment of such a
notable cellular
therapy industry participant as Dr.
Robert Hariri speaks volumes
about Cryoport's positioning within the
advancing life sciences markets, including stem
cells; immunotherapies, especially CAR-T cell
therapies; animal husbandry; and
human reproductive medicine. Dr. Hariri will be
an enormous asset to our company and its Board
of Directors, as he brings wide ranging
and extensive experience within cellular
and regenerative therapies."
"Cryoport's services as applied in cellular and
regenerative medicines achieve the highest possible standards
in cold chain logistics, especially as related to
standardizing cell cryopreservation during shipment packaging,
shipping, information, and, sometimes, short duration storage. Dr.
Hariri's recognition of Cryoport as the most advanced cryogenic
logistics solution in the world is a tribute to the Cryoport team
and the services provided by the company," concluded Shelton.
Conference Call
Cryoport will host a conference call
at 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday, October
5, 2015 to introduce Dr. Robert
Hariri. Participants should
dial 1-888-504-7963 (United
States) or 1-719-325-2432 (International) and
request the "Cryoport call." A live audio webcast of the call
will also be available on the Investor Relations section of the
Company's website at www.cryoport.com. Please allow 10 minutes
prior to the call to visit this site to download and install any
necessary audio software.
An archive of the webcast will be available approximately two
hours after completion of the live event and will be accessible on
the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at
www.cryoport.com for a limited time. A dial-in replay of the
call will also be available to those interested until October 12, 2015. To access the
replay, dial 1-877-870-5176 (United States)
or 1-858-384-5517 (International) and enter replay pin
number: 373591.
About Cryoport, Inc.
Cryoport is the premier provider
of cryogenic logistics solutions to the life sciences industry
through its purpose-built proprietary packaging, information
technology and specialized cold chain logistics expertise. The
Company provides leading edge logistics solutions for biologic
materials, such as immunotherapies, stem cells, CAR-T cells and
reproductive cells for clients worldwide. Leading global companies,
such as FedEx, UPS and DHL have each separately selected Cryoport
as the preferred cryogenic logistics provider for time- and
temperature-sensitive biological material. Cryoport
actively supports points-of-care, CRO's, central laboratories,
pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers and university
researchers. For more information, visit
www.cryoport.com.
To download Cryoport's investor relations app, which
offers access to SEC documents, press releases,
videos, audiocasts and more, please click to download
from your iPhone and iPad or Android
mobile device.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this
news release which are not purely historical, including statements
regarding Cryoport, Inc.'s intentions, hopes, beliefs,
expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of
the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is important
to note that the company's actual results could differ materially
from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are
not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the effect
of changing economic conditions, trends in the products markets,
variations in the company's cash flow, market acceptance risks, and
technical development risks. The company's business could be
affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors
listed from time to time in the company's SEC reports including,
but not limited to, the annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended March 31, 2015. The company
cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Cryoport, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to
update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press
release.
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SOURCE Cryoport, Inc.