First small molecule allosteric binder discovered with Gain’s computational drug discovery platform enters clinical development

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gain Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GANX) (“Gain”, or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading the discovery and development of the next generation of allosteric small molecule therapies, today announced dosing of the first two subjects in a Phase 1 clinical trial of GT-02287, Gain’s lead drug candidate for the treatment of GBA1 Parkinson’s disease. The Company expects to complete this trial in the first half of 2024.

“Initiating first-in-human dosing with GT-02287 is an important milestone for Gain as we enter a new era as a clinical-stage company,” said Matthias Alder, Chief Executive Officer of Gain Therapeutics. “I am very proud of the work accomplished by the entire Gain team to get us to this stage today, and we are eager to advance our understanding of the safety, tolerability and effect of GT-02287 in humans. This represents another major step forward toward providing a treatment for Parkinson’s patients and their families impacted by this devastating disease.”

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a global company advancing protein-based vaccines with its novel Matrix-M^™ adjuvant, today announced that the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2023-2024 Formula) (NVX-CoV2601) has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 in individuals aged 12 and older. Immediately upon authorization, Novavax's vaccine has also been included in the recommendations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 12, 2023.

Doses will be available nationwide at thousands of locations, including national and local retail pharmacies and physicians' offices, following the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research release of vaccine batches, expected in the coming days.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced that Matt Bond has become its chief financial officer (CFO).

Emmes Chief Executive Officer Peter Ronco said, "Matt combines a rich set of CFO experiences with a deep understanding of the biopharma and clinical technology solutions space. A seasoned executive with over 30 years of financial leadership experience, he has led the finance function for many successful, private-equity-backed companies in the pharmaceutical services and contract research market segment."

"This is a perfect time to join the company, as we continue to build our reputation with government and biopharma clients and ramp up our presence in new global markets," noted Bond. "I'm able to hit the ground running, because I've worked in this sector for decades and have been successful in generating profitable growth while partnering with great management teams."

Before joining Emmes, Bond was the CFO of Bracket (now Signant Health), a leading technology provider to the drug development market.  There, he led the organization through a period of sustained  growth, including a successful sale of the company to another global, private-equity-backed firm.  Before that, he was a founder and served as CFO of Aptiv Solutions,  a technology-focused CRO. Bond was part of the leadership team that grew the business from a startup to a large multinational organization through the acquisition of more than 10 companies. 

Previously, Bond was executive vice president and CFO of PRA, a global CRO, where he led a successful initial public offering. Earlier in his career, Matt was vice president of finance with Marriott International and a consultant with a leading, global financial consulting firm. He holds a B.S. degree from Wake Forest University.

Ronco said, "We are pleased to have Matt join our team. His hands-on experience with mergers and acquisitions will be a great help as we continue to identify, review and assimilate companies that complement our strengths and accelerate our global growth."

About Emmes

Founded more than 45 years ago, Emmes is a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization dedicated to excellence in supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation. The company's clients include numerous agencies and institutes of the U.S. federal government and a wide range of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies throughout the world. To learn more about how our research is making a positive impact on human health, go to the Emmes website at www.emmes.com.

Maryland has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, also known as KOSME.

As part of the MOU signed in 2021, Maryland and KOSME support Korean startups and small and medium-sized businesses interested in entering green and high-tech sectors in the U.S., with the potential for them to participate in Maryland’s Global Gateway program. The partnership also supports companies interested in the aerospace, biohealth, cybersecurity, and renewable energy industries.

The BioHealth Capital Region recently played host to a series of significant events that drew attention from the global biopharma community. Notably, several Israeli BioHealth companies, some traveling directly from Israel, participated in these events, underscoring the region's growing prominence, especially after being recognized by GEN as a Top 3 BioPharma Cluster in the United States. This remarkable participation was made possible with the dedicated efforts of Aisha Espey, Director of Commerce, Head of Science and Technology from the Embassy of Israel in Washington DC, and Andrea Yonah, Director of Business Development for the U.S. East Coast/Midwest at the U.S. Israel Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation.

The BioHealth Capital Region Forum serves as the region's premier gathering for the biopharma sector, fostering collaborations and discussions that advance public health and economic outcomes. The Crab Trap, now in its 8th year, is a competition spotlighting entrepreneurs with transformative health solutions. The Investment Conference is a platform for companies and investors to create partnerships, featuring brief presentations highlighting BioHealth opportunities and innovations.