Cidara Therapeutics Strengthens its Scientific Advisory Board with Infectious Disease Experts

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDTX), a biotechnology company using its proprietary Cloudbreak^® platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) immunotherapies designed to save lives and improve the standard of care for patients facing serious diseases, today announced the appointment of Rick Bright, Ph.D., Philip Krause, M.D., Mario Barro, Ph.D., and Frederick G. Hayden, M.D., FACP to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

“We are honored that these four esteemed physicians and scientists have agreed to join our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cidara. “They have already provided important guidance on the development of CD388 as we embark on our Phase 2b trial to test a single dose of CD388 to provide season-long protection against influenza A & B. We look forward to their continued guidance on pandemic preparedness, clinical and regulatory strategy, and infectious disease research.”

Rick Bright, Ph.D. is an international expert on pandemic preparedness and response. In his most recent role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Pandemic Prevention Institute (PPI) at The Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Bright led the development of the Foundation’s pandemic data-to-action platform that integrates modern technology, data analytics and global partners to help the world detect, prevent, and mitigate pandemic threats to achieve containment as quickly as possible. Dr. Bright serves as an international subject matter expert in biodefense, emergency preparedness and response, pharmaceutical innovation, vaccine, drug and diagnostic development and served as an advisor to the Biden Administration, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine Forum on Microbial Threats. Dr. Bright received a Ph.D. in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis from Emory University and a B.S. magna cum laude in Biology and Physical Sciences from Auburn University at Montgomery.

Philip Krause, M.D. has over 30 years of experience at the Food and Drug Administration, and a unique combination of scientific, regulatory, clinical, and public health experience. He is a long-time supporter of CASSS and WCBP, and co-chaired the meeting several times. He is trained as a physician with board certification in internal medicine and infectious diseases and a researcher with over 100 publications on topics spanning clinical evaluation of vaccines, viral pathogenesis and immunology, and biological product development. Dr. Krause is currently an independent consultant, providing strategic and regulatory advice related to biological product development. He recently served as deputy director of FDA’s Office of Vaccines Research and Review, where he led assessments of biological products for evaluation and licensure and helped to oversee the development and evaluation of all vaccines authorized and licensed in the US over the past 10 years.

Mario Barro, Ph.D. is a Venture Partner and Head of the Infectious Disease Team at RA Capital Management, where he spearheads early-stage investment, company creation, and leads the Infectious Diseases team in advancing the company's evidence-based investment strategy. In this capacity, he collaborates closely with several portfolio companies, serving as a Board Member or Technical Advisor. With over three decades of experience in vaccinology, virology, and immunology across large pharma, government, academia, and biotech sectors, he brings a wealth of expertise to his roles. In addition to his work at RA Capital, Dr. Barro is the CEO and co-founder of GIVAX, a vaccine development startup focused on eradicating preventable Gastrointestinal infections in children and adults. As CEO, he drives the development of a novel groundbreaking vaccine solution aimed at addressing a critical unmet medical need. Dr. Barro completed his postdoctoral training at the NIH/NIAD and Mount Sinai School of Medicine and holds a PhD in microbiology from the University of Chile.

Frederick Hayden, M.D., FACP is a Stuart S. Richardson Professor Emeritus of Clinical Virology and Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. His principal research interests have been on respiratory viral infections with a particular focus on the development and application of antiviral agents for influenza, rhinovirus, and coronavirus infections. He has contributed to the development of seven influenza antivirals and two vaccines approved for clinical use in one or more countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic he collaborated with colleagues in China to conduct the first controlled trials of candidate antivirals in hospitalized patients and has served as a consultant to platform studies (UK CTAP, ACTIV, AGILE), academic groups, and industry regarding the selection of therapeutics for clinical trials. Dr. Hayden received his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1973 and completed his clinical training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, New York.

About Cidara Therapeutics

Cidara Therapeutics is using its proprietary Cloudbreak^® platform to develop novel drug-Fc conjugates (DFCs) comprising targeted small molecules or peptides coupled to a proprietary human antibody fragment (Fc). Cidara’s lead DFC candidate, CD388, is a long-acting antiviral designed to achieve universal prevention of seasonal and pandemic influenza with a single dose by directly inhibiting viral proliferation. In June 2023, CD388 was granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Company plans to advance CD388 into a Phase 2b trial in the 2024 Northern Hemisphere influenza season. Additional DFCs have been developed for oncology and in July 2024 Cidara received IND clearance for CBO421 which will be developed to target CD73 in solid tumors. Cidara is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “anticipates,” “expect,” “may,” “believe,” “plan,” or “will”. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements related to plans and timing for initiating a Phase 2b clinical trial for CD388. Such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, such as unanticipated delays in or negative results from Cidara’s preclinical or clinical trials, unanticipated impacts of the workforce reduction, difficulties in obtaining potential partners or other obstacles to clinical development. These and other risks are identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in Cidara’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other filings subsequently made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Cidara does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.

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