Aviceda Therapeutics Appoints Biopharma and Business Senior Executive Patrick Johnson, PhD, to its Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aviceda Therapeutics, a private clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing next-generation immunomodulators by harnessing the power of glycobiology to modulate the innate immune system and alleviate chronic, non-resolving inflammation with its lead ophthalmic asset, AVD-104, in late-stage clinical development for treatment of patients with geographic atrophy (GA), today announced the appointment of Patrick Johnson to its board of directors. Patrick is an accomplished business leader and entrepreneur with a proven track record of enabling pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to maximize the value of their brands and realize the potential of their innovations.

“We are thrilled to welcome Patrick to Aviceda’s board of directors as we advance our pipeline through key milestones in 2023 and beyond,” said Mohamed A. Genead, MD, CEO & President, Co-Founder of Aviceda Therapeutics. “Patrick will bring significant industry expertise, and his strategic counsel will be invaluable to Aviceda as we continue to advance our technology platform in late-stage clinical development for patients with GA due to age-related macular degeneration and broader therapeutic applications.”

Patrick is a strategic pharmaceutical executive with two decades of broad cross-functional expertise in all aspects of corporate operations, including in-depth experience with global M&A, business development, strategic transactions, fundraising, clinical operations, scientific research, and corporate finance. Previously, he gained exceptional sell-side and buy-side transactional experience as head of business development for eye care and drug delivery at Allergan. Patrick’s deal experience ranges from some of the largest transactions in the pharmaceutical industry to small partnerships, having raised multiple rounds of venture financing for numerous start-up companies. He is currently leading operations on a global Phase 3 clinical studies as President of Sydnexis Inc. Co-author of global patent portfolio and author/co-author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, Patrick also has specific subject matter expertise with a PhD in retinal development and post-doctoral research in retinal degeneration (focusing on macular degeneration).

“It is a privilege to join Aviceda’s board as the organization advances towards delivering new treatment options for people living with retinal diseases, many of whom have been significantly underserved for decades,” said Dr. Johnson. “I look forward to working alongside this dynamic team and advancing a diverse pipeline through development and into commercialization.”

About Aviceda Therapeutics and AVD-104

Aviceda is a private clinical-stage biotechnology company located in Cambridge, MA, with a proprietary HALOS™ nanotechnology platform and an IND-cleared ophthalmic lead product for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AVD-104 is an intravitreal nanoparticle molecule with a unique dual mechanism of action for the treatment of GA through its modulation of critical inflammatory pathways: 1) Direct inhibition of the activity of damaging phagocytic macrophages and repolarization of activated macrophages to their resolution state, and 2) inhibition of complement cascade amplification. AVD-104 has demonstrated robust in-vitro/vivo efficacy with inhibition of both inflammatory & complement pathways and the potential for every 3- to 6-month dosing. Outstanding safety has been demonstrated in multiple animal models, including non-human primates, in which no signs of intraocular inflammation were seen. In addition, AVD-104 has demonstrated anti-neovascular activity equivalent to that of aflibercept (Eylea) in a well-established ocular CNV model. SIGLEC Phase 2 clinical trial is currently enrolling for GA.

Along with AVD-104, Aviceda has a broad pipeline of products in development in ophthalmology and multiple other therapeutic areas, including neurology, oncology, fibrosis, and immunology.

Learn more about Aviceda Therapeutics.

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