Poolbeg Pharma plc

US infectious diseases expert, Professor Daniel Hoft, joins Scientific Advisory Board

25 November, 2021- Poolbeg Pharma (AIM: POLB, 'Poolbeg' or the 'Company') a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company with a capital light clinical model, has appointed Professor Daniel Hoft to its Scientific Advisory Board.

Prof Hoft, M.D., Ph.D. is the Dianna and J. Joseph Adorjan Endowed Chair of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, and Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology at Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Medicine. He has been working in immunology and infectious diseases for 32 years. Prof Hoft has published over 140 peer reviewed scientific publications.

Prof Hoft will join the Scientific Advisory Board alongside Dr Elaine Sullivan and Prof Luke O'Neill and with his extensive background in infectious disease, immunology, and vaccinology, will guide the Company on its asset development programmes. Prof Hoft will also work with the Company to scout for prospective in-licencing opportunities.

Prof Hoft is heavily involved in vaccine development research, especially for pandemic influenza and tuberculosis which has seen him undertake pioneering work in T-cell targeting vaccines which is particularly relevant to the Company's Vaccine Discovery Platform. He is Principal Investigator of the SLU's Vaccine & Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU), one of ten US National Institutes of Health (NIH) centers, placing it among an elite group of top academic centers conducting clinical trials of novel vaccines for global protection against future pandemic challenges. Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic the SLU VTEU led by Prof Hoft has featured prominently in the urgent COVID-19 vaccine development and Prof Hoft is the VTEU protocol chair for a first-in-human phase I trial of a novel COVID-19 vaccine. He has received numerous awards from NIH, US Department of Defense, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is a regular advisor to the World Health Organisation.

Read Prof Hoft's full bio on Poolbeg's website.

Jeremy Skillington, PhD, CEO of Poolbeg Pharma, said: "Prof Hoft is a great addition to the Poolbeg Scientific Advisory Board, joining Dr Elaine Sullivan and Prof Luke O'Neill. His expertise in infectious disease, particularly with severe influenza and vaccine development will be invaluable as we develop Poolbeg's pipeline of assets. He will also work with the Company to scout for prospective assets to in-licence and develop. Prof Hoft is a widely respected specialist within our industry and we look forward to working with him as we continue our growth journey." 

Prof Daniel Hoft, M.D., Ph.D., commented:

"Poolbeg has an interesting portfolio of assets within infectious disease with an exciting lead asset, POLB 001. Coupled with its unique access to 20 years' of human viral challenge study data, means its approach has real potential in this space. I look forward to helping support the business as it develops."

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About Poolbeg Pharma

Poolbeg Pharma is a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company, with a capital light clinical model which aims to develop multiple products faster and more cost effectively than the conventional biotech model. The Company, headquartered in London, is led by a team with a track record of creation and delivery of shareholder value and aspires to become a "one-stop shop" for Big Pharma seeking mid-stage products to licence or acquire.

The Company is targeting the growing infectious disease market. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious disease has become one of the fastest growing pharma markets and is expected to exceed $250bn by 2025.

With its initial assets from Open Orphan plc, an industry leading infectious disease and human challenge trials business, Poolbeg has access to knowledge, experience, and clinical data from over 20 years of human challenge trials. The Company is using these insights to acquire new assets as well as reposition clinical stage products, reducing spend and risk. It already has a Phase II ready repositioned small molecule immunomodulator for severe influenza and a portfolio of other exciting assets. The Company plans to broaden this portfolio further going forward and is in active discussions with AI data analysis platforms to help accelerate the power of its human challenge model data and biobank.

For more information, please go to www.poolbegpharma.com