Full Press Release Details
AzurRx BioPharma Announces Appointment of James
Sapirstein as Chief Executive Officer
and Former CEO Thijs Spoor
Remain on Board of Directors
NEW YORK, October 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AzurRx BioPharma,
Inc. (NASDAQ:AZRX) ( AzurRx or the
Company ), a company specializing in the development
of non-systemic, recombinant therapies
for gastrointestinal diseases, is pleased to announce that
James Sapirstein has been appointed to serve as the Company's
President and Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of
Thijs Spoor from the same positions. Mr. Sapirstein, who most
recently served as chief executive officer and board member for
ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now known as Hepion
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASADQ: HEPA)), has nearly 36 years of
pharmaceutical industry experience spanning areas such as drug
development and commercialization. In particular, Mr. Sapirstein
has participated in 23 product launches, six of which were global
launches that he led. He is also credited with leading numerous
business development transactions over the course of his career.
Prior to ContraVir, Mr. Sapirstein was chief executive officer of
Alliqua Therapeutics, served as the founding chief executive
officer of Tobira Therapeutics, and as executive vice president,
metabolic and endocrinology for Serono Laboratories. Mr.
Sapirstein's earlier career included a number of senior level
positions in the area of marketing and commercialization, including
global marketing team lead for Viread (tenofovir) while at Gilead
Sciences and director of international marketing of the infectious
disease division at Bristol Myers Squibb. Mr. Sapirstein serves on
the emerging companies and health section boards of Biotechnology
Innovation Organization (BIO) and is currently the Chairman
Mr. Sapirstein earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from
Rutgers University and holds an MBA degree in management from
Fairleigh Dickinson University.
"We are very pleased that James Sapirstein is joining AzurRx as
Chief Executive Officer," commented Ed Borkowski, the Chairman of
the Company's Board of Directors. "His industry knowledge,
background, and strong relationships are an ideal mix of skills to
lead AzurRx, and his insights, leadership and experience will
provide a significant benefit to the Company. We would also like to
thank Thijs Spoor for his previous hard work in taking the Company
through several clinical trials and building a world class
development team and give him best wishes for the future." Mr.
Spoor will remain on AzurRx's Board of Directors.
Over the past five years, AzurRx has made great strides,
having generated key clinical data that have advanced MS 1819-SD as
a safe and efficacious product candidate for patients,
stated Thijs Spoor. I am confident that James's unique
skill set will be critical to realizing the value inherent to the
Company's pipeline and I look forward to working with him as
a fellow board member.
James Sapirstein commented, "I am pleased to join AzurRx as
President and CEO at this exciting time. The transformative nature
of AzurRx's products, backed by the strong data from its two
recent Phase 2 clinical trials of MS1819 are well positioned to
create meaningful benefits for patients and
AzurRx BioPharma, Inc.
AzurRx BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:AZRX) is engaged in the research and
development of non-systemic biologics for the treatment of patients
with gastrointestinal disorders. MS1819-SD recombinant lipase for
exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is the Company's lead development
program, and additional early stage research is being conducted for
the prevention of hospital-acquired infections. The Company is
headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with scientific operations based in
Langlade, France. Additional information on the Company can be
found at www.azurrx.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain statements relating to
future results which are forward-looking statements. These
statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the
Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by
their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the
Company's control. It is possible that the Company's
actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly
materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition
indicated in these forward-looking statements. Additional
information concerning the Company and its business, including a
discussion of factors that could materially affect the
Company's financial results, including those related to the
clinical development of MS1819-SD or any of the Company's
other clinical development activities, are contained in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2018 under the heading Risk
Factors, as well as the Company's subsequent
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All
forward-looking statements included in this press release are made
only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake
any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently
occur or of which we hereafter become aware.
For more information:
AzurRx BioPharma, Inc.
Phone: (646)-699-7855
Investor Relations contact:
LifeSci Advisors, LLC.
Hans Vitzthum, Managing Director
250 West 55th Street - Suite 16B