DiaMedica Therapeutics Announces the Appointment of Dr. Harry Alcorn Jr. as Chief Medical Officer

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company” and “DiaMedica”) (TSX-V:DMA) (OTCQB:DMCAF) announces the recent appointment of Harry Alcorn Jr. Pharm.D. as Chief Medical Officer where he will oversee global clinical development and regulatory initiatives for DiaMedica.  Dr Alcorn has over 30 years of clinical research experience working with public and private biotech and pharmaceutical companies in studies of kidney diseases and diabetic, hepatic and cardiovascular patients. He has designed, authored and been a consultant to a multitude of companies in the industry on protocol development, clinical execution and regulatory guidance.  He has served as Principal Investigator or Sub Investigator in over 450 clinical studies and has assisted many biotech and pharmaceutical companies in negotiating protocols and presenting results to the FDA.  Dr. Alcorn has presented at numerous international meetings and industry seminars discussing the critical challenges in conducting patient studies.

Prior to joining DiaMedica, Dr. Alcorn served as Chief Scientific Officer at DaVita Clinical Research (DaVita), a company that provides clinical research services for pharmaceutical and biotech companies.  During this time, he also served on the Board of Directors for The Association of Clinical Pharmacology Units and on the Board of Directors of MedTox Laboratories.   In 2000 Dr. Alcorn started the US Renal Network, the first organization to coordinate clinical trial sites for the conduct of kidney studies.  Prior to DaVita he held the position of Executive Director and led the clinical trials at GalaGen Inc, a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics to target life-threatening and emerging pathogens.

Dr. Alcorn obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy from Creighton University and his Doctor of Pharmacy from University of Nebraska Medical Center.  He currently holds clinical faculty appointments with the University of Minnesota, Creighton University, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Virginia Commonwealth and the University of Colorado, Denver.  

 “We are thrilled that Harry is bringing to DiaMedica his strong industry and operational leadership at a time when we are preparing to initiate clinical research in patients with Chronic Kidney disease” commented Rick Pauls, President and CEO of DiaMedica. “His knowledge, experience in patient trials, along with his work as a subject matter expert for both industry and the FDA, complements our team.”

I am very excited to join DiaMedica at this stage of its development,” said Dr. Alcorn. “DiaMedica is leading the investigation of the KLK1 protein and has the opportunity to significantly improve the lives of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease and neurological disorders. I look forward to helping the company accelerate the development of DM199 for these patients.”   

About DM199



DM199 is a recombinant (synthetic) form of the human protein known as “KLK1”. The KLK1 protein plays an important role in the regulation of diverse physiological processes including blood flow, inflammation, fibrosis, oxidative stress and neurogenesis via a molecular mechanism that increases production of nitric oxide and prostacyclin. KLK1 deficiency may play a role in multiple vascular and fibrotic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, retinopathy, stroke, vascular dementia and treatment resistant hypertension where current treatment options are limited or ineffective. DiaMedica is the first company to have developed a recombinant form of the KLK1 protein. The KLK1 protein, produced from porcine pancreas and human urine, has been used to treat patients in Japan, China and Korea for decades. DM199 is currently being studied in patients with acute ischemic stroke and DiaMedica is preparing to initiate a clinical study in patients with chronic kidney disease.

About DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc.

DiaMedica Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for neurological and kidney diseases. DiaMedica’s shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “DMA” and on the OTCQB under the trading symbol “DMCAF”. For more information, please visit . Follow us on social media – , .

For further information, please contact:

Paul Papi

Vice President of Business Development

DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc.

Two Carlson Parkway, Suite 260

Minneapolis, MN

Phone: (617) 899-5941