Chimerix Appoints Allen Melemed, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer
June 22 2020 - 7:00AM
Chimerix (NASDAQ:CMRX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on
accelerating the development of medicines to treat cancer and other
serious diseases, today announced the appointment of Allen Melemed,
M.D., M.B.A., as Chief Medical Officer.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Melemed as a key member of our
management team. We look forward to leveraging his considerable
clinical and regulatory experience as a distinguished
pharmaceutical executive. His vast experience bringing oncology
therapeutics through development and approval across multiple
modalities will be invaluable as we initiate our dociparstat sodium
(DSTAT) Phase 3 trial in first line acute myeloid leukemia (AML),
our ongoing Phase 2/3 trial to combat acute lung injury (ALI) in
COVID-19 patients, and finalize our rolling New Drug Application
(NDA) for brincidofovir (BCV) as a medical countermeasure for
smallpox,” said Mike Sherman, Chief Executive Officer of
Chimerix.
“I am particularly pleased to be joining Chimerix at such an
important juncture in its growth trajectory. DSTAT’s potential to
improve survival in newly-diagnosed AML patients is critically
important in a disease where five-year survival rates remain far
too low, particularly in older populations. Furthermore,
DSTAT’s broad mechanism to manage inflammation and hematologic
disorders offers promise to treat ALI in COVID-19 patients and
underpins its mechanism of action in ALI beyond the current
pandemic. I look forward to working with the team to advance our
pipeline of important therapies and to bringing these life-saving
treatments to patients in need,” said Dr. Melemed.
Dr. Melemed joins Chimerix from Eli Lilly and Company, where he
spent more than 20 years dedicated to the clinical development and
approval of oncology medicines across a broad range of tumor types
including VERZENIO®, CYRAMZA®, LARTRUVO® , ALIMTA® and
RETEVMO® among others. Most recently, he served as a Distinguished
Medical Fellow and Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs Oncology,
North America. In addition to his role at Eli Lilly, Dr. Melemed
was an attending physician in pediatric oncology at Indiana
University (IU) School of Medicine, Riley Children’s Hospital from
1996 to 2012.
Dr. Melemed holds a B.S. in Genetics and Cell Biology from the
University of Minnesota and a M.D. from the University of Minnesota
School of Medicine. In addition, he completed his residency in
pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and fellowship
in pediatric hematology/oncology at IU School of Medicine. He
earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of
Business. Dr. Melemed has authored dozens of scientific and
clinical publications.
About Chimerix
Chimerix is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company
dedicated to accelerating the advancement of innovative medicines
that make a meaningful impact in the lives of patients living with
cancer and other serious diseases. Its two clinical-stage
development programs are DSTAT and BCV.
Dociparstat sodium is a potential first-in-class
glycosaminoglycan compound derived from porcine heparin that may be
dosed at much higher levels without triggering bleeding
complications. In vitro and in vivo animal model data support
DSTAT’s potential to reduce the inflammation and cellular
infiltration associated with ALI and address coagulation disorders
associated with COVID-19 pathology of high mobility group box 1
(HMGB1) and platelet factor 4 (PF4). Separately, DSTAT inhibits the
activities of several key proteins implicated in the viability of
AML blasts and leukemic stem cells in the bone marrow during
chemotherapy (e.g., CXCL12, selectins, HMGB1, elastase). Randomized
AML Phase 2 data suggest that DSTAT may also accelerate platelet
recovery post-chemotherapy via inhibition of PF4, a negative
regulator of platelet production that impairs platelet recovery
following chemotherapy. The company is conducting a randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2/3 trial to determine the
safety and efficacy of DSTAT in adults with severe COVID-19 who are
at high risk of respiratory failure. The Phase 2 portion of the
study will enroll 24 subjects to confirm the maximum safe dose and
will then expand by an additional 50 patients (74 total) at the
selected dose. A formal analysis of all endpoints, including
supportive biomarkers will be performed at the conclusion of the
Phase 2 portion of the study. Contingent upon positive results, the
Phase 3 portion of the study will enroll approximately 450
subjects.
BCV is an antiviral drug candidate in development as a medical
countermeasure for smallpox. For further information, please visit
the Chimerix website, www.chimerix.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking
statements include those relating to, among other things, the
mechanism of action of DSTAT and its potential; Chimerix’s ability
to develop DSTAT, including the initiation of a Phase 3 trial in
AML and the ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical trial for DSTAT as a
potential treatment for ALI associated with COVID-19; Chimerix’s
ability to submit and/or obtain regulatory approvals for DSTAT and
BCV; and the timing and receipt of a potential procurement contract
for BCV in smallpox. Among the factors and risks that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the
forward-looking statements are risks that DSTAT may not achieve the
endpoints of its clinical trials; risks that DSTAT may not obtain
regulatory approval from the FDA or such approval may be delayed or
conditioned; risks that development activities related to DSTAT may
not be completed on time or at all; Chimerix’s reliance on a sole
source third-party manufacturer for drug supply; risks that ongoing
or future trials may not be successful or replicate previous trial
results, or may not be predictive of real-world results or of
results in subsequent trials; risks and uncertainties relating to
competitive products and technological changes that may limit
demand for our drugs; risks that our drugs may be precluded from
commercialization by the proprietary rights of third parties; and
additional risks set forth in the Company's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking
statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this
release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation
to update these forward-looking statements.
CONTACT:Investor
Relations:
Michelle LaSpaluto 919-972-7115 ir@chimerix.com Will O’Connor Stern
Investor Relations212-362-1200 will@sternir.com Media:David
SchullRusso
Partners858-717-2310David.Schull@russopartnersllc.com
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