GlobeNewswire Inc | Jun 21, 2021 09:15AM EDT

June 21, 2021

SAN DIEGO, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biosplice Therapeutics, Inc. (Biosplice), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering therapeutics based on alternative pre-mRNA splicing for major diseases, announced today the addition of Dave Johnson, most recently Founder and CEO of VelosBio, as an independent director to its board.

Mr. Johnsons vast experience ushering drugs from pre-clinical development through product launch will provide invaluable guidance as we accelerate our oncology program, complete the clinical development of lorecivivint, our knee osteoarthritis drug candidate, and broaden the applicability of our alternative splicing platform, said Cevdet Samikoglu, CEO of Biosplice.

Dave Johnson brings more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience. He most recently held the position as Founder and CEO of VelosBio, a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company advancing novel antibody-drug-conjugate and bispecific antibody technologies, acquired by Merck for $2.75 billion. From 2013 to 2016, Mr. Johnson rose to Chief Executive Officer of Acerta Pharma, an oncology-focused pharmaceutical company, where he spearheaded acalabrutinib from early to late-stage global clinical development. His term at Acerta concluded in an acquisition of the company by AstraZeneca, a deal valued at up to $7 billion.

Earlier in his career, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Calistoga (acq. by Gilead), Gloucester (acq. by Celgene), Favrille, Millennium (acq. by Takeda), Immunex (acq. by Amgen), and Hoffman-La Roche. Mr. Johnson also currently serves as Chairman of Aura Biosciences, Inc. and as a director of Zentalis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ZNTL).

Learn more about Biosplices Board of Directors at https://www.biosplice.com/board-of-directors.

About BiospliceBiosplice is developing first-in-class, small-molecule therapeutics based on pioneering science of alternative pre-mRNA splicing. Stemming from foundational discoveries in Wnt pathway modulation, Biosplice has elucidated novel biology linking CLK/DYRK kinases to the therapeutic regulation of alternative splicing. Alternative splicing is an essential biological mechanism that regulates the diversification of proteins in a cell, which, in turn, determines cell type and function. Biosplices target class governs the selection of tissue-specific mRNA splice sites, making them attractive, druggable targets within the cellular command and control center.

Biosplices drugs in clinical development include lorecivivint for osteoarthritis (in Phase 3), cirtuvivint for numerous cancers, and a broad pipeline that ranges from Alzheimers disease to other degenerative conditions. Learn more at https://www.biosplice.com.

Corporate Contact: Erich HorsleyBiosplice Therapeutics, Inc.erich.horsley@biosplice.com858-365-0200