Mesa Biotech Appoints Leading Experts To Inaugural Scientific Advisory Board

SAN DIEGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesa Biotech Inc., a privately-held, molecular diagnostic company that has developed a testing platform designed specifically for point-of-care (POC) infectious disease diagnosis, today announced the formation of their scientific advisory board (SAB). Approved by the executive leadership team and board of directors, the SAB is chartered to advise on the development and commercialization of Mesa Biotech's infectious disease assay platform. Led by Dr. Steve Young, this world-class team brings Mesa Biotech more than 120 years of combined experience in infectious diseases and molecular diagnostics.

"We are thrilled to have such a talented and experienced scientific advisory board providing critical expertise to the Mesa Biotech team," said Hong Cai, co-founder and CEO. "The background and experience of our advisory board is going to be invaluable as we commercialize our current technology for the rapid testing of influenza A/B, as well as to help us successfully reach our goal of bringing transformative diagnostics to the point of care."  

The inaugural members of Mesa Biotech scientific advisory board include:

• Dr. Steve Young, director of research and clinical trials at TriCore Reference Laboratory, will chair the SAB. Dr. Young has completed over 100 FDA in vitro diagnostic device trials/market evaluations. He is also chairman, virology standards of the American Board of Medical Microbiology and holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.
• Dr. Angela Caliendo is professor and vice-chair of medicine and vice-president of university medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She brings extensive virology and molecular diagnostics experience to the SAB. Currently she chairs the microbiology medical devices panel at FDA and the Diagnostics Task Force for the Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA). Dr. Caliendo obtained her M.D. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Case Western University.  
• Dr. Jeanne A. Jordan is a professor, George Washington University and director of GWU's International Institute for Public Health Laboratory Management. She has extensive clinical microbiology, laboratory medicine and virology expertise. Dr. Jordan is the chair of the Infectious Disease Division of the Association for Molecular Pathology and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Virology. Dr. Jordan obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.
• Dr. James Nichols is a professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology and medical director, clinical chemistry for the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is Board certified in clinical and toxicological chemistry and has extensive evidence-based medicine, information management, lab automation, POC testing and toxicology experience. He also served as a member on CDC's clinical laboratory improvement advisory committee. Dr. Nichols holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Illinois.
• Dr. Stephen Day is an experienced IVD consultant. He is a member of the Expert Panel on Molecular Methods for the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute and has extensive experience in virology and molecular diagnostics. He is on the Professional Relations Committee of the Association for Molecular Pathology and has also held other elected positions within that organization. Dr. Day received his Ph.D. in microbiology/immunology/molecular biology from the University of South Alabama.
• Dr. Chris Myers is a virologist and biosurveillance department head for the Naval Health Research Center. His team evaluates diagnostics for infectious disease targets and biowarfare/biothreat agents in clinics and operational settings and is responsible for respiratory and enteric disease surveillance in military populations. Dr. Myers received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas. 

About Mesa Biotech Inc.

Mesa Biotech is an emerging molecular diagnostic company, bringing the superior diagnostic performance of nucleic acid amplification to the point-of-care (POC). Mesa Biotech's diagnostic system consists of a portable, palm-sized dock and a disposable, assay-specific test cassette. This patented system will allow healthcare professionals to obtain actionable, laboratory-quality results at the POC in 30 minutes or less with greater sensitivity and specificity than many current infectious disease rapid immunodiagnostic tests. Mesa's technology development has been funded to date by a series of grants and private equity investments totaling approximately $30 million. The company is preparing for Series A funding in 2016 and expects to obtain FDA approval for its first product, an influenza assay and dock, in 2017. For more information visit http://www.mesabiotech.com.

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SOURCE Mesa Biotech Inc.