Vancouver, British Columbia – February 25, 2015 – Sirona Biochem Corp. (TSX-V: SBM / FSE: ZSB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Martin Gleave to its Board of Directors.
Dr. Gleave holds numerous leadership positions in research and academia. He is currently distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Urologic Sciences at UBC, and Director at the Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC). The VPC has a track record of success that has earned it a reputation as one of the world’s most respected cancer facilities. It is a National Centre of Excellence and a designated Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research.
“Dr. Gleave brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Company,” said Dr. Howard Verrico, Chief Executive Officer of Sirona Biochem. “His executive research positions and extensive network connections will provide vast collaborative opportunities for advancing our glycoprotein program. His success in bringing OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals from startup to closing multi-million dollar deals with big pharma will greatly enhance our expertise in this area.”
“I am excited to join the board at Sirona, as my research has focused on understanding the role of the stress response and cell survival in anti-cancer treatment resistance and graft survival in transplantation,” said Dr. Gleave. “I am very interested in applications of Sirona’s novel glycoproteins and helping advance their roles in protein stabilization across many applications.”
Dr. Gleave has been granted incentive stock options, under the Company’s stock option plan, for the purchase of up to 500,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of five years.
The Company has also granted under its stock option plan, stock options to Attila Hajdu, the Company’s recently appointed Chief Business Development Officer, for the purchase of up to 1,000,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of five years.
About Dr. Martin Gleave
Dr. Gleave is a clinician-scientist and urologic surgeon. His major research focus involves the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating progression of prostate cancer to its lethal stage of androgen independence, and use of this information to develop integrated multimodality therapies that specifically target these mechanisms. Dr. Gleave established a role for clusterin as a cancer-related cell survival protein involved in treatment resistance and developed an inhibitor, designated OGX-011, which improved efficacy of hormone- and chemo-therapies in prostate and other cancer models. He is the scientific founder of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
About Sirona Biochem Corp.
Sirona Biochem is a cosmetic ingredient and drug discovery company with a proprietary platform technology. Sirona specializes in stabilizing carbohydrate molecules with the goal of improving efficacy and safety. New compounds are patented for maximum revenue potential.
Sirona’s compounds are licensed to leading companies around the world in return for licensing fees, milestone fees and ongoing royalty payments. Sirona’s laboratory, TFChem, is located in France and is the recipient of multiple French national scientific awards and European Union and French government grants. For more information please visit www.sironabiochem.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For more information regarding this press release, contact:
Christopher Hopton
CFO
Sirona Biochem Corp.
Phone: 1.604.282.6064
Email: chopton@sironabiochem.com
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Sirona Biochem cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon current expectations and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of release of the relevant information, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, Sirona Biochem’s forward-looking statements due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in Sirona Biochem’s business including, without limitation, statements about: the progress and timing of its clinical trials; difficulties or delays in development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing its products; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of its products that could delay or prevent product development or commercialization; the scope and validity of patent protection for its products; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; and its ability to obtain additional financing to support its operations. Sirona Biochem does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law.