SAN FRANCISCO, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the appointment of Sasha Damouni Ellis as Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, effective July 10, 2023. Ms. Damouni Ellis will be responsible for the Company’s strategic approach to corporate communications, government affairs, investor relations and patient advocacy, as well as for establishing Vir’s corporate social responsibility and environmental, social and governance efforts. She will report to Vir’s Chief Executive Officer Marianne De Backer, M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, and will join the Company’s Executive Management Team.
“Sasha has an impressive track record as both a corporate communications and investor relations leader. Her insights and expertise will be invaluable to our executive team as we continue advancing our robust pipeline of innovative therapies aimed at the treatment of infectious diseases,” said Dr. De Backer.
“I’m honored to join Vir, a company with a strong clinical pipeline and an exciting future ahead targeting significant unmet medical needs around the world,” said Ms. Damouni Ellis. “I look forward to working with Marianne and the exceptional team and Board of Directors at Vir who have established a successful track record of scientific innovation, commitment to patients and a strong employee culture.”
Ms. Damouni Ellis joins Vir from Marinus Pharmaceuticals, where she served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations. Previously, she was Director of External Communications and Media Relations for Bayer U.S., where she drove external brand-building strategies in therapeutic areas of oncology, hemophilia, cardio-pulmonary, and women’s health. Earlier in her career, Ms. Damouni Ellis was a Senior Healthcare Journalist at Bloomberg News and Global Editor of BioPharm Insight, formerly a division of the Financial Times Group, which she launched in New York and London.
She earned her Master of Arts from City, University of London’s Graduate School of Journalism, in the United Kingdom, and her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Richmond, the American International University in London, United Kingdom.
About Vir Biotechnology
Vir Biotechnology is a commercial-stage immunology company focused on combining immunologic insights with cutting-edge technologies to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases. Vir has assembled four technology platforms that are designed to stimulate and enhance the immune system by exploiting critical observations of natural immune processes. Its current development pipeline consists of product candidates targeting COVID-19, hepatitis B and D viruses, influenza A and human immunodeficiency virus. Vir routinely posts information that may be important to investors on its website.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,” “potential,” “aim,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “promising” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Vir’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Vir’s strategy and plans; and the potential of, and expectations for, Vir’s clinical pipeline. Many important factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including unexpected safety or efficacy data or results observed during clinical trials or in data readouts; the timing and outcome of Vir’s planned interactions with regulatory authorities; difficulties in obtaining regulatory approval; uncertainty as to whether the anticipated benefits of Vir’s collaborations with other companies can be achieved; difficulties in collaborating with other companies; challenges in accessing manufacturing capacity; clinical site activation rates or clinical trial enrollment rates that are lower than expected; successful development and/or commercialization of alternative product candidates by Vir’s competitors; changes in expected or existing competition; delays in or disruptions to Vir’s business or clinical trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical changes or other external factors; and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage clinical trials may not be indicative of full results or results from later-stage or larger-scale clinical trials and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, or the scientific data presented. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Vir’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section titled “Risk Factors” contained therein. Except as required by law, Vir assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.
Contact: Carly Scaduto Senior Director, Media Relations cscaduto@vir.bio +1-314-368-5189
