BIO2015: ContraVir Pharmaceuticals CEO James Sapirstein Appointed To BIO's ECS Board Of Directors And BioNJ's Board Of Trustees

EDISON, N.J., June 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRV), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies, announced today the appointment of ContraVir CEO James Sapirstein to the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Emerging Companies Section Governing Board (ECSGB) and the Capital Formation Committee. Additionally, Mr. Sapirstein has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of BioNJ, a network of approximately 400 member companies representing research-based life sciences companies and stakeholders in New Jersey.

James Sapirstein brings more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry to BIO and BioNJ and continues to advocate support for the life sciences industry both within ContraVir's home state and across the country.  Mr. Sapirstein last served on the BIO ECSGB and BioNJ Boards when he was CEO of Tobira Therapeutics, a biotechnology company he co-founded in 2007, where he developed successful clinical growth strategies. As a result of these and other efforts, he was named one of New Jersey's Top 50 most influential people in healthcare in 2010 by NJBiz.

"I am honored to join both the BioNJ Board and BIO's Emerging Companies Section Governing Board and the Capital Formation committee.  This is a great opportunity to work alongside other industry leaders to be a voice for emerging growth companies in ContraVir's home state of New Jersey and across the rest of the country.  The Capital Formation Committee in particular works to reduce legislative barriers to capital formation, such as the creation of the JOBS Act, which is essential to encourage the growth of small emerging biotechnology companies and allows more capital to flow into the life sciences and drive innovation," said Mr. Sapirstein.

"Through BioNJ's and BIO's work in areas concerning emerging growth companies, there has already been significant progress in easing these burdens, and as part of the Capital Formation committee and ECSGB at large, I hope to advance additional government policy aimed at nurturing a supportive ecosystem in which innovative biotechnology companies, such as ContraVir, can grow," added Mr. Sapirstein.

About BIO

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is the world's largest trade association representing more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations.  BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products.  BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.

Emerging Companies

The BIO Emerging Companies committee serves the needs of small-to-medium size companies, most of which do not yet have major products approved and on the market.  Whether advocating for pro-innovation tax policies to encouraging an economic and policy environment to foster biotech investment, BIO focuses on critical issues affecting smaller companies and builds programs to enhance their development.

Capital Formation

The BIO Capital Formation Committee works to review and develop policy on legislative and regulatory tax issues (including net operating loss and R&D credits, securities law issues (Sarbanes-Oxley, short selling), accounting (revenue recognition, IFRS), federal grant programs (SBIR, TIP), and other capital formation initiatives.

About BioNJ

BioNJ, The Gateway to Health, is a powerful network of 400 Members representing research-based life sciences companies and stakeholders dedicated to propelling a vibrant ecosystem where Science is Supported, Companies are Created, Drugs are Developed and Patients are Paramount. Because Patients Can't Wait, BioNJ is committed to the growth and prosperity of New Jersey's life sciences ecosystem to help accelerate the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies and cures that save and improve lives and lessen the burden of illness and disease to society. As the industry's voice in New Jersey, we fulfill our Mission to help companies help Patients by driving capital formation and fostering entrepreneurship, advocating for public policies that advance medical innovation, providing access to talent and education and offering a cost-saving array of critical commercial resources. For more information about BioNJ, please visit www.BioNJ.org.

About ContraVir Pharmaceuticals

ContraVir is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of targeted antiviral therapies with two candidates in mid-to-late stage clinical development.  ContraVir's lead candidate, FV-100, is an orally available nucleoside analogue prodrug that is being developed for the treatment of herpes zoster, or shingles, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development.  In addition to direct antiviral activity, FV-100 has demonstrated the potential to reduce the incidence of debilitating shingles-associated pain known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in a Phase 2 clinical study.  ContraVir is also developing CMX157, a highly potent analog of the successful antiviral drug tenofovir DF (Viread^®), for the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Phase 2 clinical studies.  CMX157 is active against HBV and more than 4 times more potent in vitro versus tenofovir.  CMX157's novel structure results in decreased circulating levels of tenofovir, lowering systemic exposure and thereby reducing the potential for renal side effects.

For further information, please contact:

Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.

Tirth Patel (investors)
tpatel@tiberend.com; (212) 375-2681

Claire Sojda (media)
csojda@tiberend.com; (212) 375-2686

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SOURCE ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.