Temple University Graduate School

Senior financial executive Ramzi Benamar joins leadership team as Chief Financial Officer Experienced board member, Chief Financial Officer and strategic consultant Gary Sender joins board of directors to Chair the Finance Committee Both appointments precede multiple value-creating catalysts, including Phase 3 results for AD109 as a first potential oral treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Apnimed, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of first-in-class oral therapies that address the neuromuscular dysfunction of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep-related breathing diseases, today announced the appointments of Ramzi Benamar as Chief Financial Officer and Gary Sender to the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Finance committee. The strengthening of both the leadership team and Board of Directors brings decades of combined experience in critical functions, such as financial management, strategic planning, company capitalization, investor relations and corporate mergers and acquisitions. "We are pleased to welcome both Ramzi and Gary to Apnimed, as they bring proven leadership experience in leading-edge, science-driven companies, across a broad range of critical finance and strategic functions. I am confident their additions will help to continue to drive forward our financial strategy, deliver on key operational priorities, and build long-term shareholder value," said Larry Miller, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Apnimed. "These appointments come at a critical time, as we look forward to next year's Phase 3 clinical trial results for AD109 and preparation for its potential commercial launch as a once-nightly oral therapy for OSA." Mr. Benamar commented, "I am incredibly excited to join the Apnimed team during this transformational time for the company. With its ongoing, late-stage clinical development program for AD109 in OSA, a value generating joint-venture with Shionogi and a strong existing investor base, Apnimed is well-positioned to serve the needs of all stakeholders, and I look forward to contributing to the achievement of its next phase of growth." "Apnimed is in an excellent position to accelerate into the next stage of corporate development," noted Mr. Sender. "I am eager to contribute to the financial and strategic initiatives of the company and am confident in the organization's continued clinical and future commercial successes." About Ramzi Benamar, Chief Financial Officer Ramzi Benamar has over 25 years of experience in the biotech and pharma industry, where he has an extensive track record of supporting the development and commercialization of novel pharmaceutical products and serving in executive financial leadership roles in both public and private companies. Ramzi has led several rounds of financing as a CFO amounting to about $600M. He served as the CFO of BELLUS Health, where he contributed to the growth of the company toward its acquisition by GSK. Ramzi was also the CFO at DBV Technologies and Elucida, and Vice President and Head of Financial Planning and Analysis for Spark Therapeutics until its acquisition by Roche Holdings. Earlier in his career, Ramzi held numerous positions of increasing responsibilities in finance, strategy, and operations at various pharma companies including Shire, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in business administration from Temple University, and a master's degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (Saint Joseph's University). About Gary Sender, Independent Director and Chair of Finance Committee Gary Sender has extensive financial leadership experience across the biopharmaceutical industry, including serving on the board of directors of several public and private biotechnology companies. Mr. Sender joined the Board of Directors of both Schrödinger, Inc., and Harmony Biosciences when they were both private companies and currently Chairs both respective Audit Committees and the Schrödinger Compensation Committee. He currently Chairs the Audit Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee of iBio. Mr. Sender also joined the Board of Directors of Gennao Bio (Private) in September of 2021 and currently Chairs both the Audit and Compensation committees. In March 2021, Mr. Sender retired as the Chief Financial Officer of Nabriva plc. Prior to Nabriva, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals. Previously, Mr. Sender was the Senior Vice President of Finance for Shire plc, supporting its global commercial businesses and all functions of its specialty pharmaceuticals business. Prior to joining Shire, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Tengion, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Sender held several increasingly senior finance-related roles, including a 15-year career at Merck & Co., Inc., most recently serving as Vice President and Controller for Merck's U.S. pharmaceuticals business. Mr. Sender earned his bachelor's degree in finance and management information systems from Boston University. He received his master's degree in industrial administration (MBA) with a concentration in Finance from Carnegie-Mellon University. About AD109 AD109 could be the first pharmacological treatment to improve oxygenation during sleep by directly addressing the underlying neuromuscular cause of upper airway collapse in people with obstructive sleep apnea. It is a first-in-class combination of aroxybutynin, a novel antimuscarinic, and atomoxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (NRI). Their combined pharmacological synergy targets the root neuromuscular cause of OSA. AD109 is a once-nightly oral pill that is designed to lower the complexity of intervention and may help more people benefit from effective, restorative sleep. In a disease characterized by complex and invasive treatment options, AD109 may be a simple solution to help improve oxygenation and health wellbeing for people living with OSA. About Obstructive Sleep Apnea Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious chronic sleep-related breathing disease where the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing intermittent oxygen deprivation. It is caused by two overlapping mechanisms: neuromuscular dysfunction during sleep and predisposing anatomic abnormalities. The impact of OSA spans age, sex, and body type—there is no single face of the disease. Every night, greater than 54 million people in the U.S. and 1 billion people worldwide with OSA stop breathing, exposing them to serious, long-term health risks. An individual with OSA can experience hundreds of sleep apnea events in a single night. Each sleep apnea event reduces blood oxygen levels and deprives cells of the energy they need to perform vital functions. Ultimately, failure to effectively treat OSA increases the risk of long-term health consequences and quality of life impacts, including daytime fatigue, impaired judgement, premature death, and severe and potentially life-threatening health complications, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Yet, even after being diagnosed, the majority of people with OSA either refuse, abandon, or underutilize treatment. In addition, no currently available treatments address the underlying neuromuscular dysfunction present in all OSA cases. About Apnimed Apnimed is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to breathing new life into the sleep-related breathing disease treatment landscape. The company envisions a new era where novel oral therapies simplify intervention, expand the reach of diagnosis and treatment, and elevate the health and expectations of everyone in the sleep-related breathing disease community. Based in Cambridge, Mass., Apnimed is advancing a focused pipeline of oral pharmaceutical product candidates designed to help improve oxygenation for people living with obstructive sleep apnea and beyond, to other sleep-related breathing diseases, including several that are part of our joint venture with Shionogi & Co., Ltd, Shionogi Apnimed Sleep Science (SASS). Learn more at apnimed.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn. Media Contact: [email protected] Investor Contact: Brian Ritchie [email protected] SOURCE Apnimed, Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

JENKINTOWN, Pa., Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SFA Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral small-molecule biosynthetic compounds for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, today announced the expansion of its intellectual property in autoimmune disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. SFA Therapeutics has been issued a new patent in the United States (11963938) and has been allowed two patent applications in Canada (2,974,510) and in Korea (10-2017-7023391) with patent coverage through 2036. SFA Therapeutics has also been issued one new patent in Korea (10-2646764) with patent coverage through 2038. The United States patent and the allowed Canadian and Korean patent applications protect the short chain fatty acid composition that comprises SFA's proprietary oral small-molecule biosynthetic compound SFA-001. SFA-001 is a potent immunomodulator being evaluated for the prevention, delay of onset, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In preclinical studies, SFA-001 demonstrated cytotoxicity against two common human liver cancer cell lines expressing the hepatitis B oncoprotein, HBx. Huh7x and Hep3BX are highly sensitive to SFA-001 without damage to normal liver cells. In 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to SFA-001 for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The Korean patent protects the short chain fatty acid composition that comprises SFA-002, SFA Therapeutics' lead candidate and Phase-2 ready potent immunomodulator being evaluated for the treatment of psoriasis. SFA-002 acts on multiple therapeutic pathways with the aim of restoring balance to the immune system. While SFA-002 inhibits pathways of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17, IL-23, TNF-α, and IFN-y, it also increases Treg differentiation and upregulates the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. "As SFA's clinical development progresses, we understand the importance of strengthening our intellectual property portfolio to protect SFA Therapeutics' proprietary therapeutic candidates," said Dr. Ira Spector, Chief Executive Officer of SFA Therapeutics. "The expansion of our patent portfolio allows us to continue the research and development necessary to bring drug candidates like SFA-001 and SFA-002 through the clinic to patients of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This brings the total number of issued and allowed SFA Therapeutics patents to 15, with 33 additional patents pending." "These patents demonstrate the novel nature of SFA Therapeutics' platform and drug candidates which are developed by adding disease-specific adjuvants to compounds that are naturally found in the human body," said Dr. Mark Feitelson, Chief Scientific Officer of SFA Therapeutics. "Our therapeutic candidates target multiple pathways in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, working to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines, up-regulate anti-inflammatory targets, and suppress autoimmunity. We believe the intellectual property protected by these patents has the potential to not only manage symptoms from diseases, but to also address the underlying cause of these conditions and prevent or delay their onset." About SFA Therapeutics SFA Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral small-molecule biosynthetic compounds for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Based on breakthrough research licensed from Temple University, SFA Therapeutics' platform has the potential to develop safer and more efficacious treatments for a number of chronic inflammatory diseases by uniquely tailoring the effects of patented formulations with target-specific adjuvants. Its lead asset, SFA-002, a potent immunomodulator, is approaching Phase 2 clinical trials and has shown promising Phase 1a and Phase 1b results for the treatment of psoriasis. SFA Therapeutics has also received clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate SFA-001N in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), also known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with or without fibrosis. SFA Therapeutics has an Orphan Disease Designation from the FDA for SFA-001 in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most prevalent form of liver cancer. SFA Therapeutics is headquartered in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Please visit to learn more. Company Contact Ira Spector, Ph.D. SFA Therapeutics, Inc. +1 267-584-1080 Media Contacts Tony Russo, Ph.D. Russo Partners, LLC [email protected] Maddie Stabinski Russo Partners, LLC [email protected] SOURCE SFA Therapeutics, Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine (Regional Coalition) has announced that all its member health systems have transitioned away from race adjustments in clinical decision support tools that help guide lung, kidney, and OB-GYN care. Continue Reading Source: Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine "Outdated beliefs about biological differences between races have for many years been embedded in decision support tools used in the practice of medicine. The Regional Coalition is working aggressively to change these tools to make them race neutral. We are extremely appreciative of the health systems that have committed to eliminating these inappropriate race-based adjustments," said Dr. Seun Ross, Executive Director of Health Equity at Independence Blue Cross (IBX) and coordinator of the Regional Coalition. IBX convened the Regional Coalition in 2023. "The work that each health system has done is already leading to improved outcomes in our region and over time will save and extend lives." For example, the hospitals and health systems in the region adopted a change in the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate or eGFR (the kidney function test) calculation that has helped over 721 patients move onto and up on the kidney transplant list. As a result, 63 of those patients received a kidney transplant during 2023. The group has also advocated to remove race from the Kidney Donor Risk Index, a formula used by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to assess donor kidney quality. These are the first milestones for the Regional Coalition, and it helps ensure that residents in the Philadelphia area are being assessed with the most appropriate and evidence-based clinical decision tools. In addition to the kidney function test, the tools the Regional Coalition addressed and are now race-neutral, include spirometry (a lung function test), the vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) calculator, and race-based gestational anemia guidelines. Removing the race adjustments in these tools will have profound impacts on patients in the Philadelphia region, including: Black and Asian patients with lung disease will be diagnosed earlier and receive the right treatments sooner. Black patients with chronic kidney disease will be identified sooner and more often, so they can get the treatment they need, including kidney transplants. More kidneys will be available for transplantation due to the removal of race from the Kidney Donor Risk Index, which plays a key role in determining which kidneys can be used for transplants. Black and Hispanic pregnant people will have the same opportunity to have a vaginal birth after a previous C-section as others who are pregnant. Pregnant Black people will be more likely to be accurately diagnosed with anemia and get the treatment they need. This will mean they have a lower risk of complications in childbirth or the postpartum period. Multi-racial people and people who identify outside of a race category that was previously included in one of these tools will no longer be excluded or receive unclear guidance. The Regional Coalition is focused on challenging race adjustments in 15 clinical decision support tools that may adversely impact patients' outcomes. In addition to the tools that are now race-neutral, the Regional Coalition is working to address the use of race in the following: Arteriosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Estimator Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Risk Calculator Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) Heart Failure Risk Score NCI Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool Osteoporosis Risk SCORE (Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation) Pediatric UTI Risk Calculator Rectal Cancer Survival Calculator Society of Thoracic Surgeons Short Term Risk Calculator Ureteral STONE Risk Score The Regional Coalition includes Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Doylestown Health, Grand View Health, Independence Blue Cross, Jefferson Health, Main Line Health, Nemours Children's Health, Penn Medicine, Redeemer Health, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Temple Health, Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, and Virtua Health. It extends the work of Accelerate Health Equity, a collaborative to address and combat systemic racism in health care. About Independence Blue Cross: Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. For more than 85 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. We deliver innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneer new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and support programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Quotes from Health Systems in the Regional Coalition Children's Hospital of Philadelphia "The Coalition has done the important work of tackling clinical pathways to remove race-based practices that promote health disparities," said Tyra Bryant-Stephens, Medical Director of the Community Asthma Prevention Program and Chief Health Equity Officer of the Center for Health Equity at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "We want Philadelphia to be the healthiest city in the nation, and working together is the best way to accomplish that goal." Doylestown Health "The delay between new research and routine patient care is said to be approximately 17 years in medicine, and even greater for marginalized populations. For Doylestown Health, being part of the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine has reduced the research to practice gap by creating forums for local healthcare teams to evaluate evolving practice guidelines and provide peer support as well as accountability for the shared goal of removing race from clinical calculators. Inequity in healthcare is multi-factorial, and removing race from clinical calculators is just one of many steps needed to create global change," said Christine Roussel, PharmD, BCOP, BCSCP, Vice President, Clinical Support Services for Doylestown Health. Grand View Health "We are grateful for the leadership of Independence Blue Cross and value the partnership of our neighboring health systems in supporting the important work of the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine," said Grand View Health Chief Medical Officer Michael Prasto, MD. "Providing high-quality care that assures the best possible health outcomes to all patients is at the core of Grand View Health's mission and we are committed to de-implementing the use of race "adjustments" across the entire continuum of care." Jefferson Health "Jefferson Health remains steadfast in our commitment to advancing health equity by challenging outdated practices that contribute to disparities in care. The recent elimination of race adjustments in clinical decision support tools is a significant milestone in our efforts to ensure that all patients receive the most effective treatment. Our partnership with the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine reflects our dedication to transforming healthcare for the better. Together, we are working to create a system where decisions are based solely on individual health needs, not race, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for all patients," said Keith Leaphart, DO, MBA, Enterprise Executive Vice President and Humana Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer at Jefferson. Main Line Health "As a health system committed to delivering safe, high-quality, equitable and affordable care to our patients and the communities we serve, it's essential to abandon outdated practices that perpetuate racial disparities. By eliminating race adjustments in clinical decision support tools, we can help to dismantle harmful stereotypes and ensure that everyone receives the care they deserve, regardless of their race or ethnicity," said Rosangely Cruz-Rojas, DrPH, Vice President and Chief Diversity & Equity Officer for Main Line Health. Nemours Children's Health "Nemours Children's Health is proud to be a part of this Regional Coalition, having embraced the work of eliminating the use of certain race-based algorithms across our entire multi-state pediatric health system," said Dr. Rachel Thornton, Vice President, Chief Health Equity Officer of Nemours Children's Health. "We have received tremendous support for the continued focus on pediatric clinical decision-making tools and outcomes, which will lead us to continue creating the healthiest generations of children no matter their race." Penn Medicine "With race correction removed from our clinical decision tools, we must now examine the downstream care impacts of our changes, and then focus on what tools remain in the system that are problematic. Those tools may lack consensus on how to implement processes in them that disentangle race and ethnicity," said Jaya Aysola, MD, DTMH, MPH, Executive Director of the Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement. "Undoing existing care guidelines is often harder than introducing new ones and requires a different set of de-implementation strategies. It's also important that we be vigilant of forthcoming research and guidelines that could reintroduce race correction in new ways, since it is critical to build upon the real progress that we have made already." Redeemer Health "Reducing disparity and inequity in health care is key to helping humans flourish as a people, which is the heart of our mission to care, comfort and heal," said Joshua M. Jenkins, Redeemer Health's Vice President of Mission Integration and Pastoral Care. "We are proud that our health care ministry contributes to this important work." St. Christopher's Hospital for Children "At St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, we are proud to partner with Independence Blue Cross as part of the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine," said Rita Guevara, MD, FAAP, Director of Health Equity at St. Christopher's. "We follow the latest evidence-based practice guidelines for our patients, and the work that the Regional Coalition is doing to create uniformity in patient care further augments our collective goal of health equity. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with IBX and other health organizations in the Philadelphia area on this important work." Temple Health "Temple Health is committed to the pursuit of equitable healthcare for all patients. We are excited to partner with Independence Blue Cross and the other regional health systems in this groundbreaking initiative to ensure all of our patients are afforded maximal access to treatment," said Abiona Berkeley, MD, JD, FASA, Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology, Interim Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic "It's uplifting to see all the work being done in our region, and across the nation, to remove race as a consideration to inform medical treatment. Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic was an early adopter of this initiative to improve patient outcomes among non-white individuals through removal of race-based algorithms in clinical practice and treatment protocols, and to that end, we're just as committed to its advancement and expansion. As we continue the Regional Coalition's work, we have engaged a core group of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic physicians to uncover any remaining clinical protocols in need of amendment or outright elimination," said Cheryl Jackson, MD, Medical Director of Primary Care for Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic. Virtua Health "As a founding member of the Regional Coalition, Virtua Health is extremely proud of the work this group has done to improve health equity in our region and beyond. We firmly believe that every person should have a fair opportunity to achieve their best possible health. Sadly, that has not been the case for many of us, for far too long. Independence Blue Cross and the Regional Coalition are doing vital work to enable all members of our communities—regardless of their race—to live healthier, longer lives," said Lisa Ferraro, President of Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Senior Vice President for Virtua Health. SOURCE Independence Blue Cross WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED