NEW YORK and LONDON, July 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Akari Therapeutics, Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing advanced therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Wa’el Hashad to the Akari Board of Directors as an independent director. Mr. Hashad, who will serve on both the Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, brings more than 35 years of biopharmaceutical experience to Akari’s Board of Directors with focus on drug approval and commercialization, mergers and acquisitions, and business development.
“I am pleased to welcome Wa’el to our Board of Directors” said Ray Prudo, M.D., Akari Chairman. “His extensive experience in biopharma development will be invaluable as we advance nomacopan into the registrational portion of Phase 3 studies in pediatric and adult HSCT-TMA and toward clinical trials of PAS-nomacopan in geographic atrophy. His appointment strengthens the Board’s biotech and U.S. capabilities.”
“This is an exciting time for the company, and I look forward to partnering with Board members and management to advance the company’s lead asset toward a potential regulatory filing,” said Mr. Hashad.
Mr. Hashad currently serves as CEO of Longeveron, a U.S. clinical-stage biotechnology company developing regenerative medicines for rare pediatric diseases, aging-related conditions, and unmet medical needs. Previously, he was President and Chief Executive Officer at Avanir Pharmaceuticals. Avanir was acquired by Otsuka Pharmaceutical, and Mr. Hashad led the company’s full integration into Otsuka’s United States operations. Prior to Avanir, Mr. Hashad was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Seres Therapeutics, where he established the company’s launch and marketing strategy for microbiome-based therapies.
Mr. Hashad has held multiple leadership roles at Amgen, executing on cardiovascular, neuroscience, metabolic disorder, and nephrology product launches and was the general manager for Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He was a Vice President at Boehringer Ingelheim leading the U.S. launch of the company’s cardiovascular and metabolic products. Earlier, Mr. Hashad spent 20 years at Eli Lilly and Company, driving the company’s marketing and commercial strategy across multiple regions and therapeutic areas. He concluded his time at Eli Lilly as the Vice President of the United States Cardiovascular Business Unit.
Mr. Hashad holds an M.B.A. in Finance and International Business from the University of Akron and a B.Sc. in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Cairo. He held the position of the Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Board at Morningside Biopharma and is currently a member of the Board of California Life Sciences.
About Akari Therapeutics
Akari Therapeutics, plc (Nasdaq: AKTX) is a biotechnology company developing advanced therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Akari’s lead asset, investigational nomacopan, is a bispecific recombinant inhibitor of complement C5 activation and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) activity. Akari’s pipeline includes a Phase 3 clinical trial program investigating nomacopan for severe pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant-related thrombotic microangiopathy (HSCT-TMA). Akari has been granted Orphan Drug, Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease designations from the FDA for nomacopan for the treatment of pediatric HSCT-TMA. Akari’s pipeline also includes a clinical program developing nomacopan for adult HSCT-TMA and pre-clinical research of long-acting PAS-nomacopan in geographic atrophy (GA). For more information about Akari, please visit akaritx.com.
