Virion Therapeutics, LLC Announces its Inaugural Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board Members

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Virion Therapeutics, LLC, developers of the first checkpoint inhibitor powered vaccines for treatment of cancers and chronic viral infections, today announced the appointment of its inaugural Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board.  Members of each Board will serve a three-year term and help guide the company in advancing its lead vaccine candidates for treatment of human papillomavirus-induced cancers and chronic hepatitis B viral infections.

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The following people were named to the Board of Directors (along with the company's founders Andrew D. Luber, Pharm.D. and Bernard Rudnick, M.B.A.):

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• Teresa L. Wright, M.D. – former Hepatitis Global Franchise Head, Roche/Genentech, former Chief Medical Officer, Roche Molecular Systems and former President, American Association for Study of Liver Diseases (2005).
• Katherine A. High, M.D. – Co-Founder, President and Head of Research & Development, Spark Therapeutics, Inc. and former President, American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.
• Thomas Penn, BS, MBA, J.D. – Partner at MVP Capital Partners, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Tektagen, Inc., and former President of Independence Ventures, Inc.
• Rifat Pamukcu, M.D., FAIMBE – Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Midway Pharmaceuticals and former Founder, Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Cell Pathways.

The following people were named to the Scientific Advisory Board:

• Steven Projan, Ph.D., FAAM – former Head, Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, MedImmune and former Vice President, Global Head of Infectious Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.
• Frank Borriello, M.D., Ph.D. – former Vice President, Global Head, Search and Evaluation, Baxalta Pharmaceuticals focused on immunology and oncology and a former life-science analyst with BB Biotech.
• Joel Palefsky, M.D. – Infectious Disease Specialist, Professor of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and former President – International Papillomavirus Society.
• Scott Strome, M.D. – internationally recognized head and neck surgeon, immunologist and Executive Dean and vice chancellor for clinical affairs, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

"We are pleased to have such an esteemed and qualified Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board," said Bernard Rudnick, chief executive officer of Virion. "The innovative and novel approach of our first in class genetically encoded checkpoint inhibitor that can be delivered by vaccination resonated with our members and helped attract such a highly experienced group of people. We are excited to have them work with us on our current vaccine programs and help guide the company in the future."

"Virion's approach to treating chronic viral infections and cancers is innovative and offers potential treatment options for patients in whom current therapies are limited.  I'm excited to help the company advance its programs into clinical trials," added Board of Directors member Teresa L. Wright, M.D. 

Virion Therapeutics, LLC Virion Therapeutics, LLC, is a science driven company developing innovative immune-based treatments for virally associated cancers and chronic viral infections utilizing the first genetically encoded checkpoint inhibitor given via vaccination. Our vaccines represent novel and highly effective platforms to induce potent, diverse and sustained T cell-mediated immune responses, allowing us to target common diseases with unmet medical needs. Founded in early 2018 to advance technology licensed from The Wistar Institute, an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in vaccine, cancer and infectious disease research, Virion has built an experienced biotechnology management team, augmented by its advisory board that has extensive domain knowledge in antiviral, vaccine and oncology therapeutic arenas.

viriontx.com.

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SOURCE Virion Therapeutics, LLC