Alison Finger and Michael Rice Join VBL Therapeutics' Board of...
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Alison Finger and Michael Rice Join VBL Therapeutics' Board of Directors

Pharma Tech Outlook | Tuesday, July 13, 2021

VBL Therapeutics elects  Alison Finger and Michael Rice to its Board of Directors.

FREMONT, CA:  Alison Finger and Michael Rice join the Board of Directors of VBL Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VBLT). Professor Ruth Arnon has resigned from her position on the Board of Directors of VBL, effective July 6, 2021. She will remain a scientific consultant and a member of VBL's Scientific Advisory Board.

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“We are pleased to welcome Alison and Michael as the newest members of our Board of Directors,” says Bennett Shapiro, M.D., Chairman of VBLs Board of Directors. “Alisons extensive experience commercializing products globally at bluebird bio and Bristol-Myers Squibb and Michaels expertise in healthcare capital markets will be invaluable to us as we approach disclosure of topline data from the OVAL clinical trial of VB-111 in platinum resistant ovarian cancer and, if successful, planning and execution of our strategic and operational objectives to bring VB-111 to patients who would benefit from it. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Prof. Ruth Arnon for her significant contributions to our development over 14 years of dedicated service on the Board."

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Ms. Finger has spent nearly three decades working on brand building and portfolio optimization for genetic medicine, cell therapy, oncology, neurology, virology, and metabolic. Products have been commercialized across different continents and geographies. Bluebird Bio (bluebird) employs Ms. Finger, who led the commercial construction and operation in Europe and the US before bluebird's first gene and cell therapy product launches. Ms. Finger spent 21 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) before she took the job at bluebird. She led portfolio planning, brand and franchise commercial strategy, and R&D and corporate business development decisions in her roles. Ms. Finger was also in charge of BMS Australia/New Zealand's overall P&L. Previously. She was chair of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Gene Therapy Section. She sat on the Foundation's Executive Board. Additionally, she was also a member of the Pharmaceutical Strategic Working Group for the Australia Senator for Industry and Innovation. Ms. Finger attended St. Lawrence University for her B.A. and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business for her M.B.A.Mr. Rice has vast expertise in portfolio management, investment banking, and capital markets. Founding Partner at LifeSci Partners, he Before founding LifeSci, Michael was the co-head of Health Care Investment Banking at Canaccord Adams, where he handled debt and equity financing. He was also a Managing Director at Think Equity Partners, where he was responsible for structuring and executing many transactions. Before that, he was a Managing Director at Bank of America, serving hedge funds and private equity healthcare funds. Before, he was an MD of JP Morgan/Hambrecht & Quist. After graduation, he became a board member of 9 Meters Biopharma Inc.

The OVAL clinical trial is a Phase 3 randomized, pivotal registration trial that tests a combination of VB-111 and paclitaxel in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients. the study will include approximately 400 participants GOG Foundation, Inc., an independent international non-profit organization, promotes excellence in the field of gynecologic malignancies with OVAL.

Vascular Biogenics Ltd., doing business as VBL Therapeutics, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class treatments for unmet needs in cancer and immune/inflammatory diseases. VBL Therapeutics has developed three platform technologies: a gene-therapy-based technology for targeting newly formed blood vessels with a focus on cancer, an antibody-based technology targeting MOSPD2 for anti-inflammatory and immuno-oncology applications, and the Lecinoxoids, a class of small molecules used to treat immune-related diseases. VBL Therapeutics' lead oncology product candidate, ofranergene obadenovec (VB-111), is an investigational, first-in-class, targeted anti-cancer gene-therapy agent in development to treat a broad range of solid tumors. VB-111 is currently being evaluated in Phase 3 potential registration trial for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer sponsored by VBL Therapeutics.

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