– USA, FL – Oragenics, Inc. (NYSE: OGEN), today announced that it has increased the size of its board of directors and appointed Ms. Kim Murphy to the board, effective May 1, 2020.
As an experienced vaccine marketing and commercialization professional, Ms. Murphy’s appointment coincides with the Company’s strategic shift to the development of a vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.
“On behalf of the entire board of directors and our management team, I am delighted to welcome Kim to Oragenics as a member of the board,” said Dr. Frederick Telling, Board Chairman.
Dr. Frederick Telling added, “As Oragenics makes its fundamental transition into vaccine development, I knew that our board needed someone capable of rising to the challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the possible candidates, Kim’s extensive knowledge of vaccine development and her experience in vaccine commercialization represented what Oragenics needed as our business evolves. Kim is highly-qualified to guide Oragenics in its new goal of creating a vaccine candidate that can wipe out the harm caused by COVID-19, and we look forward to drawing on her vaccine industry background.”
Following the addition of Ms. Murphy, the Company’s board will be composed of six members. Ms. Murphy will be expected to stand for election with the Company’s other directors in connection with the Company’s 2020 annual meeting of the shareholders.
About Kim Murphy
Ms. Murphy brings a wealth of vaccine industry knowledge and experience that are highly-relevant to the Company’s strategic acquisition of Noachis Terra, as well as the development of the Company’s other product candidates. Ms. Murphy is an accomplished leader and medical-industry professional with substantial experience in the vaccine development arena, having previously served in a variety of vaccine-related leadership roles within GlaxoSmithKline plc. While with GSK, Ms. Murphy led the global influenza vaccine and pandemic preparedness businesses and was responsible for the strategic and prelaunch planning for multiple development-stage vaccines through commercialization. Ms. Murphy also managed a 2,000-employee vaccine development, sales, manufacturing, and distribution team and was responsible for the integration planning of GSK’s acquisition of Novartis AG’s vaccine division. Earlier in her career, she also worked in commercialization and marketing roles within Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. Ms. Murphy has previously served in board and advisory roles for a privately-held vaccine development company, biotechnology industry groups, and academic and philanthropic societies.
“I am humbled by the invitation to join Oragenics’ board of directors as it refocuses its business on developing a vaccine candidate to treat COVID-19. While I believe the challenges that the Company—and the world—face ahead are great, I believe now is an excellent time to share my vaccine marketing and commercialization experience with Oragenics’ forward-thinking management team and dynamic board. I am eager to represent Oragenics on this new journey and I look forward to representing and collaborating with the Company’s shareholders, management team, and the other members of the board,” said Ms. Murphy.
Ms. Murphy holds a B.A. degree in English from Old Dominion University and a M.B.A. degree in Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University.
About Oragenics, Inc.
Oragenics, Inc. is focused on the creation of the TerraCoV2 immunization product candidate to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic and the further development of effective treatments for oral mucositis and novel antibiotics against infectious disease. Through Noachis Terra, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oragenics, the Company is dedicated to the commercialization and development of a vaccine candidate providing limited immunity from the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19. The TerraCoV2 immunization leverages coronavirus spike protein research conducted by the National Institute of Health, which is under a worldwide, nonexclusive intellectual property license to Noachis Terra. In addition, Oragenics also has two exclusive worldwide channel collaborations, one with Precigen, Inc.’s subsidiaries relating to the treatment of oral mucositis and the other with ILH Holdings, Inc., relating to the development of novel antibiotics.
For more information: https://www.oragenics.com
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