Dr. James Chafouleas Joins ViroStatics and Genetic Immunity as Strategic Adviser

BUDAPEST, Hungary & SASSARI, Italy & PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--James Chafouleas, Ph.D., former Head of Global Licensing – Virology at Boehringer Ingelheim Canada (Ltd.), has joined ViroStatics and Genetic Immunity as Strategic Adviser for Licensing and Business Development for both companies. Dr. Chafouleas brings over 20 years of “Big Pharma” experience in leading drug discovery, business development and licensing projects to his new position. The co-appointment of James Chafouleas comes in anticipation of the impending merger of Genetic Immunity and ViroStatics.

“We are extremely happy to have James join our growing team”

“James Chafouleas will be a valued member of our Management Team as we look ahead to the merger of ViroStatics and Genetic Immunity as Immunacia,” added Franco Lori, MD and CEO of ViroStatics. “The recent FDA approval of Dendreon’s Provenge^® as the first commercialized therapeutic vaccine highlights the validity of Immunacia’s mission to develop new technologies that partner with the human immune system. The merger of the two companies will provide Dr. Chafouleas with the opportunity to secure development partners for our lead products in the HIV/AIDS field as well as those emerging from our research laboratories in Hungary and Italy to combat additional chronic diseases.”

“We are extremely happy to have James join our growing team,” said Julianna Lisziewicz, PhD and CEO of Genetic Immunity. “His experience in formulating successful business collaborations will be critical as we select partners to bring DermaVir and VS411 from Phase II to commercialization for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.”

“I am looking forward to working with Immunacia’s United States-based Business Development, Legal, and Medical Teams to bring forward the merged company’s novel and expanding portfolio,” Dr. Chafouleas stated. “With first-in-class product candidates including the DermaVir topically-applied nanomedicine therapeutic HIV vaccine and the family of oral antiviral-hyperactivation limiting therapeutics (AV-HALTs) for once-a-day use in the treatment of HIV/AIDS generating intriguing Phase II results, Immunacia is poised to make a real difference in the lives of those living with HIV and other chronic diseases.”

About the companies:

US/Hungarian Genetic Immunity and US/Italian ViroStatics, both spin-offs of the non-profit Research Institute for Human and Genetic Therapy (RIGHT), are developing novel treatments for HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases. The two companies are in the process of merging to form Immunacia – a multinational biopharmaceutical company with Business/Medical/Legal operations in the United States and research facilities in Hungary and Italy – dedicated to developing novel treatments that partner with the human immune system to improve human health.