Umoja Biopharma, Inc.

SEATTLE, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Umoja Biopharma, Inc. (Umoja), the clinical-stage leader of in vivo and off-the-shelf cell therapies that aim to realize the full reach and promise of CAR-T cells, today announced that members of management will participate in a fireside chat and 1x1 investor meetings at the 7th Annual Evercore ISI HealthCONx Conference, which will take place at the Loews Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, December 3 – 5, 2024. Fireside Chat Date/Time: Thursday, December 5, 2024, 10:25 a.m. ET A live webcast link may be accessed HERE. Meetings: To be scheduled with conference representatives or directly with Umoja About Umoja BiopharmaUmoja Biopharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company aiming to develop off-the-shelf therapeutics that improve the reach, effectiveness, and access of CAR-T cell therapies in both oncology and autoimmunity. Umoja’s VivoVec™ in vivo gene delivery technology empowers a patient’s own immune system to fight disease. Enabling its core technology is the Company’s state-of-the-art lentiviral vector development and manufacturing facility in Louisville, Colorado. Umoja believes its approach can provide broader access and improved effectiveness of the most advanced immunotherapies, enabling more patients to live better, fuller lives. To learn more, connect with Umoja on LinkedIn and visit http://umoja-biopharma.com/. InvestorsGrace Kim, Ph.D.Head of Investor Relationsgrace.kim@umoja-biopharma.com MediaMatt WrightReal Chemistrymwright@realchemistry.com

SEATTLE, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Umoja Biopharma, Inc. (Umoja), the clinical-stage leader of in vivo and off-the-shelf therapies that aim to realize the full reach and promise of CAR T-cells, today announced that Scott Myers has been appointed as Chairman of its Board of Directors, succeeding Dieter Weinand who will remain as an advisor. “As Umoja evolves to clinical stage with significant upcoming milestones, I look forward to working with Scott as our Board Chairman,” said Andrew Scharenberg, M.D., co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Umoja. “Scott’s history as both a CEO and chairperson of multiple biotechnology companies in the Pacific Northwest, through significant periods of growth and clinical milestones, will be invaluable as Umoja looks to 2025 and beyond. I would also like to acknowledge and personally thank Dieter for his important contributions to Umoja’s progress over the past two years and am pleased that Dieter has agreed to stay on as strategic advisor for Scott and myself as we continue to build Umoja”. Scott Myers added, “Umoja is uniquely positioned as the leader for in vivo CAR-T cell therapies, with clinical trials recently initiating in multiple geographies and the industry’s first US IND. I am both humbled and excited at the significant opportunity in front of us: to truly transform the way CAR-T cell therapies are delivered so that they may reach their full potential impact on patients.” Mr. Myers currently chairs the boards of directors for Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Convergent Therapeutics, and Dynavax Technologies. He previously chaired the boards of directors for Ironshore until its acquisition by Collegium Pharmaceuticals and Harpoon Therapeutics until its acquisition by Merck, both in 2024. He was also President and CEO of Viridian Therapeutics, AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Rainier Therapeutics, and Cascadian Therapeutics, and has held additional board and executive leadership roles at other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Myers holds an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business (Booth) and a B.A. in Biology from Northwestern University. About Umoja Biopharma Umoja Biopharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company aiming to develop off-the-shelf therapeutics that improve the reach, effectiveness, and access of CAR-T cell therapies in both oncology and autoimmunity. Umoja’s VivoVec™ in vivo gene delivery technology empowers a patient’s own immune system to fight disease. Enabling its core technology is the Company’s state-of-the-art lentiviral vector development and manufacturing facility in Louisville, Colorado. Umoja believes its approach can provide broader access and improved effectiveness of the most advanced immunotherapies, enabling more patients to live better, fuller lives. To learn more, connect with Umoja on LinkedIn and visit http://umoja-biopharma.com/. Investors Grace KimHead of Investor Relationsgrace.kim@umoja-biopharma.com Media Matt Wright Real Chemistrymwright@realchemistry.com

Plus, news about Interius BioTherapeutics, Hope Medicine, PMV Pharmaceuticals, Epitopea, Alyssum Therapeutics and a new dementia trial accelerator in the UK: Bayer exercises option to develop heart drug with Dewpoint Therapeutics : The companies, which first teamed up in 2019, now plan to develop a therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease. Bayer is paying $424 million in upfront and milestone payments. — Jaimy Lee Viking Therapeutics is already thinking about an obesity launch: The company plans to meet with the FDA before the end of the year to discuss Phase 3 plans for its subcutaneous GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, VK2735, according to remarks made by CEO Brian Lian on Wednesday’s earnings call. Viking is already in conversation with manufacturers, and Lian said he’s confident the company will be able to supply “a blockbuster-sized product at the appropriate time.” Viking is also launching a Phase 2 trial this quarter for an oral version of VK2735. Lian described the experimental oral medicine as more of an “add-on” to the portfolio, while the subcutaneous version would be the “anchor piece.” — Nicole DeFeudis Interius BioTherapeutics doses first ever patient with in vivo CAR-T: The biotech gave an in vivo CAR-T therapy to a patient enrolled in a Phase 1 study of INT2104, which it’s developing for B cell cancers. The trial, which is being run in Australia, is the first test of its kind. Umoja Biopharma has said it plans to dose a patient in its US-based study of its own in vivo CAR-T therapy by the end of this year . — Lei Lei Wu Hope Medicine touts interim data for endometriosis treatment: The company’s monoclonal antibody, dubbed HMI-115 , demonstrated statistically significant improvement in endometriosis pain at 12 weeks. The Phase 2 trial enrolled 142 female patients in the US, Poland and China. The mean dysmenorrhea pain score was reduced by 42%, and non-menstrual pelvic pain score was reduced by 50%. Hope CEO Nathan Chen said the company plans to “move quickly” toward global Phase 3 trials. — Katherine Lewin PMV Pharmaceuticals discontinues early-stage cancer trial: Citing toxicities and limited clinical benefit, the company abandoned its Phase 1b study assessing rezatapopt and Merck’s Keytruda. It had been testing the combo in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring a TP53 Y220C mutation. PMV said enrollment for a Phase 2 trial evaluating rezatapopt as a monotherapy for patients with TP53 Y220C and KRAS wild-type advanced solid tumors is still on track. — Katherine Lewin Epitopea closes $31M pre-Series A: With today’s round, the cancer biotech has raised more than $45 million. The funds are set to go toward its preclinical discovery work in solid tumors and clinical development plans for its RNA-based immunotherapies. — Katherine Lewin Alyssum Therapeutics emerges from stealth with $26M Series A: The Cambridge, MA-based biotech’s lead asset is AT-1965, a clinical-stage small molecule CMTR2 inhibitor. This round was led by co-founder Patrick Soon-Shiong and Accel, Famy and Navam Capital. — Katherine Lewin UK government pours £20M into dementia trial accelerator: The new initiative aims to increase the number of participants in late-stage dementia studies to the tens of thousands and “address pharma-identified roadblocks” to running the trials. The Dementia Trials Accelerator’s objectives include creating a biomarker toolbox and extending trial enrollment to community settings. — Ayisha Sharma