Robert Watson Named Chair of CEL-SCI Board

CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM) has announced a significant leadership change with Robert (“Bob”) Watson being appointed as the Chairperson of the Board. Bob Watson, who has been a Director of the company since 2017, brings a wealth of experience in the healthcare industry, including over 40 years in various roles primarily centered around capital formation strategies and partnership development. His career trajectory includes several CEO and President positions in both private and publicly traded healthcare companies. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed over $750 million in capital transactions, including IPOs and secondary offerings.

CEL-SCI CEO Geert Kersten expressed his appreciation for Bob Watson’s contributions as a Director and emphasized the value Watson’s extensive expertise in capital markets will bring in his expanded role as Chairperson. This new role became possible following Watson’s recent retirement from active CEO duties, allowing him to devote more time to CEL-SCI.

A critical focus for CEL-SCI is its immunotherapy drug, Multikine. The drug has shown promising results, with robust efficacy and safety data from trials involving over 750 patients. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a confirmatory Registration Study for Multikine. This study targets newly diagnosed advanced primary head and neck cancer patients. Multikine has demonstrated a significant impact on survival rates, extending life expectancy with a 73% survival rate at five years post-treatment, compared to 45% for those not treated with the drug. The confirmatory Registration Study aims to enroll 212 patients, addressing a high unmet medical need among an estimated 100,000 patients annually.

Watson expressed his honor and enthusiasm about playing a pivotal role in CEL-SCI’s journey towards FDA approval for Multikine. He conveyed confidence in the Registration Study, expecting it to validate the excellent safety and efficacy results observed in previous studies.

CEL-SCI Corporation is dedicated to enhancing patient survival by boosting the immune system while it is still relatively intact. Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is designed to stimulate the immune system to target tumors effectively. The drug has received Orphan Drug designation from the FDA for neoadjuvant therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The ongoing Registration Study will focus on patients with newly diagnosed advanced primary head and neck cancer, specifically those with no lymph node involvement and low PD-L1 tumor expression, as determined through PET scans and biopsies.

The company operates out of Vienna, Virginia, and has additional operations near Baltimore, Maryland. Through strategic leadership and innovative therapies like Multikine, CEL-SCI aims to make significant strides in cancer treatment, offering hope to patients with head and neck cancer.