WEST HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC) (the "Company"), announced today that it has appointed Milton Boniuk, MD, the Caroline F. Elles Chair Professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine, as an independent member of the Company's Board of Directors.
Dr. Boniuk is an astute and highly successful businessman and entrepreneur, in addition to being an accomplished eye surgeon, educator, and administrator. Currently, he is the Caroline F. Elles Chair Professor of Ophthalmology in the Alkek Eye Center at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. He conducts a busy clinical practice in orbital surgery, eyelid reconstruction, ocular oncology and comprehensive ophthalmology. Additionally, he plays a major role in Baylor's resident and fellow medical doctor education programs.
Dr. Boniuk has been a long term investor and strong supporter of NanoViricides, Inc.
"Milton's strong business acumen, integrity, and professional expertise will be of great help in strengthening our corporate governance as well as fostering our drug development activities," said Eugene Seymour, MD, MPH, CEO of the Company.
Dr. Boniuk has made significant contributions in cataract surgery, glaucoma, corneal dystrophies, retinal diseases and surgery. He is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the pathology and surgical management of orbital and intra-ocular tumors. His description of the ocular pathology of the congenital rubella syndrome in 1967 was a landmark publication. Of note, Dr. Boniuk has made substantial medical contributions in areas that are of great significance to the Company, such as ocular adenoviral infections, that cause epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis (EKC). The Company has developed a drug candidate for EKC infection that was successfully tested in rabbits. These animals serve as a surrogate for the viral disease in human eyes.
"Dr. Boniuk brings a unique set of skills to the Board of NanoViricides, Inc.," said Anil R. Diwan, PhD, President of the Company, adding, "He shares our enthusiasm for the novel biomimetic nanoviricides® technologies and the resulting anti-viral drugs. In addition to strengthening our corporate governance, he will be of great value in progressing our drug development programs into the clinic."
Dr. Boniuk is also well known for his philanthropic endeavors. He and his wife Laurie founded the National Society for Parent and Child Development in 1989. In 1994, he established the Lions Eye Bank Foundation's Milton Boniuk, M.D., Endowment Fund to support resident research in the Ophthalmology Department at Baylor. In 2004, Milton and Laurie Boniuk contributed $5 million to Rice University to establish the Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. In 2013, they gave an additional $28.5M to Rice University to upgrade this Center to The Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. The Boniuk Institute will conduct research, public outreach and educational programming. Its mission is to foster multidisciplinary research that leads to innovative ways to understand and achieve religious tolerance.
Dr. Boniuk earned his MD at the Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, followed by an internship at the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and Residency at the Center for Ophthalmology, Jefferson Medical College - Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. In addition, he served a Fellowship in Ophthalmic Pathology at the world-renowned Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC.
NanoViricides, Inc. currently has six drug candidates in its pipeline and several research programs. The Company is advancing both an injectable drug and an oral drug against Influenzas in IND-enabling studies in its FluCide™ program. The oral FluCide drug is being developed for out-patient influenza cases. The injectable FluCide is being developed for the seriously ill, hospitalized patients with influenza-like illness. Both of these drugs are broad-spectrum, i.e. they are expected to work against most if not all influenza A viruses. The Company believes so because the virus-binding ligand in these drugs mimics sialic acid, and it is well known that all influenza viruses bind to sialic acid receptors on a cell in order to gain entry into the cell. Both of these anti-influenza drugs may also be useful for prophylaxis, such as for the protection of health care workers. In addition, the Company has developed several other highly effective drug candidates. These include HIVCide™, HerpiCide™, DengiCide™, and a broad-spectrum nanoviricide eye drop formulation against viral infections of the eye. The Company's drug programs are based on the Company's patented "nanoviricide®" platform technology that enables specifically targeting a particular type of virus with a novel mechanism of action. In addition, the Company's other research and development programs include (a) broad-spectrum nanoviricides against a number of Neglected Tropical Diseases, and (b) its novel ADIF™ ( "Accurate Drug In Field"™ ) technologies which promise a way to attack novel viruses, whether man-made (bioterrorism) or natural (such as SARS), before they cause a pandemic.
NanoViricides, Inc. (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide® class drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. The Company is developing broad-spectrum drugs against a number of viral diseases. The Company's development candidates include an anti-influenza injectable drug and an anti-influenza oral drug; both expected to be effective against most types of influenza viruses including H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenzas, and possibly the recent threat of novel H7N9 influenza A virus. In addition, the Company is also developing drugs against HIV, oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, and Dengue viruses. The Company's research programs include Hepatitis C, Rabies, and Ebola virus, among others.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in pre-clinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products.
Contacts
NanoViricides, Inc.
Amanda Schuon, 310-550-7200
[email protected]