SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation (NYSEMKT:APHB), a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapeutics, today announced that Carrie-Lynn Langlais Furr, Ph.D., RAC, has been appointed as the Company’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Program Management.
In addition to more than 16 years of scientific expertise in bacteriophage, Dr. Furr brings over a decade of integrated product development and regulatory affairs experience to this new position at AmpliPhi. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Furr served as Senior Director of Operations at Rho, Inc., a clinical research organization, where she also held leadership roles in regulatory affairs, integrated product development, program management and medical writing. Dr. Furr’s prior experience includes providing strategic and operational support throughout all phases of clinical development, including formal interactions and negotiations with regulatory authorities as well as submission of several biologics license applications and new drug applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She received a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University where she studied bacteriophage lifecycle and lysis mechanisms, biochemistry, and biophysics.
M. Scott Salka, CEO of AmpliPhi Biosciences commented on the appointment: “Carrie-Lynn has a passion for the development of phage-based therapies and brings a wealth of product development and regulatory affairs knowledge and specialist skills to the Company. Her expertise will be especially valuable as we advance our lead programs through clinical development and increase our communications with regulatory agencies. We are delighted to welcome Carrie-Lynn to the AmpliPhi team.”
About AmpliPhi Biosciences
AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation (NYSEMKT: APHB) is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapeutics. AmpliPhi's product development programs target infections that are often resistant to existing antibiotic treatments. AmpliPhi is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of AB-SA01 for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in chronic rhinosinusitis patients and another Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety of AB-SA01 when administered topically to the intact skin of healthy adults. AmpliPhi expects to report final data for both trials by the end of 2016. AmpliPhi is also developing bacteriophage therapeutics targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) in collaboration with a number of leading organizations focused on the advancement of bacteriophage-based therapies.
About Bacteriophage
Bacteriophage are naturally occurring viruses that are highly specific for the bacterial hosts they infect. They can rapidly kill their host, amplifying themselves in the process. Bacteriophage are unaffected by antibiotic resistance and are able to disrupt bacterial biofilms. Such biofilms are a major line of defense for bacteria, contributing to antibiotic resistance. Bacteriophage are able to penetrate biofilms and replicate locally to high levels, to produce strong local therapeutic effects.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about the expected timing of reporting data from AmpliPhi’s two AB-SA01 trials, the potential use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections, including infections that do not respond to antibiotics, the potential benefits of phage therapy, and AmpliPhi’s development of bacteriophage-based therapies. Words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “may,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements necessarily contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based upon AmpliPhi’s current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties described in AmpliPhi’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and AmpliPhi undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.