SILVER SPRING, Md., May 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB:PMCB), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, today announced that it has appointed Dr. Sanjay Batra as its Senior Business Development Advisor.
Dr. Sanjay Batra brings to PharmaCyte more than 20 years of global healthcare and entrepreneurial experience in start-ups, biotech and large pharma. Dr. Batra spent 10 years at Johnson & Johnson, culminating as Vice President, R&D Pharmaceuticals, Asia-Pacific and Japan. He is highly skilled in partnering with diverse stakeholders, such pharmaceutical companies, the investment community, academia and key opinion leaders. In addition, Dr. Batra has been involved in over 80 clinical trials in all phases of development and commercialization.
PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, said of Dr. Batra’s appointment, “We are pleased that Dr. Batra has agreed to join our team, as we now have a cGMP-compliant facility and are ready to enter into the next phase of our life-cycle as a biotech company. We believe that his experience at Johnson & Johnson and his global network will prove invaluable to PharmaCyte. His expertise in scientific, medical and business areas, both domestically and internationally, will be a key asset as we move PharmaCyte forward towards the successful development of our novel platform technology to treat pancreatic cancer and diabetes.”
Dr. Batra said, “I am very excited to be part of the PharmaCyte team at this pivotal time. The technology holds tremendous promise to help physicians and their patients in areas of significant unmet medical need. Mr. Waggoner has built a very solid organization, and I look forward to making contributions with pace and rigor to advance our product pipeline towards commercialization.”
Most recently, Dr. Batra served as President and CEO of Aesthetic Factors, an emerging company providing autologous, point-of-care therapies in Regenerative Medicine. In this role, Dr. Batra led the commercial growth of their platelet-rich plasma and autologous fat products and was instrumental in establishing the company as the science driven leader. In 2013, Dr. Batra founded VIAS Partners with the aspiration to take his diverse experiences and global network to partner with entrepreneurs and companies to advance their business concepts.
Dr. Batra obtained his Ph.D. in medical physiology from the University of Ottawa, Canada, and completed his post-doctoral training with world-renowned scientists in Japan and Switzerland. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and an Adjunct Professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Batra has published over 50 papers and 70 abstracts, and has made more than 100 invited scientific presentations.
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live cell encapsulation technology known as “Cell-in-a-Box®.” This technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer and diabetes are being developed. PharmaCyte’s treatment for cancer involves encapsulating genetically modified live cells that convert an inactive chemotherapy drug into its active or “cancer-killing” form. These encapsulated live cells are placed as close to a cancerous tumor as possible. Once implanted in a patient, a chemotherapy drug which needs to be activated in the body (ifosfamide) is then given intravenously at one-third the normal dose. The ifosfamide is carried by the circulatory system to where the encapsulated cells have been placed. When the ifosfamide, which is normally activated in the liver, comes in contact with the encapsulated live cells, activation of the chemotherapy drug takes place at the source of the cancer without any side effects from the chemotherapy. This “targeted chemotherapy” has proven remarkably effective and safe to use in past clinical trials.
In addition to developing a novel treatment for cancer, PharmaCyte is developing a treatment for Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 insulin-dependent diabetes. PharmaCyte plans to encapsulate a human cell line that has been genetically engineered to produce, store and release insulin in response to the levels of blood sugar in the human body. The encapsulation will be done using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan" and similar expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of PharmaCyte, could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. They include PharmaCyte's ability to continue as a going concern, delays or unsuccessful results in preclinical and clinical trials, flaws or defects regarding its product candidates, changes in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection of PharmaCyte’s intellectual property and PharmaCyte’s continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at www.PharmaCyte.com. It can also be obtained by contacting Investor Relations.
Investor Relations:
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc.
Investor Relations Department
Telephone: 917.595.2856
Email: Info@PharmaCyte.com