HEIDELBERG, Germany, June 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Affimed N.V. (Nasdaq: AFMD ), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies, announced today that it has established operations in the United States. The Company also announced that Caroline Stewart and Dr. Oscar Kashala have joined the Company as Head of Investor Relations & Communication and Vice President, Medical US, respectively.
"As both a seasoned investor relations professional and former research analyst, Caroline has gained an exceptional in-depth knowledge and understanding of biopharmaceutical companies as well as the US investor landscape," said Adi Hoess, Ph.D., CEO of Affimed. "We are delighted to work with her in strengthening our newly established US operations."
Caroline brings nearly twenty years of combined experience on Wall Street and in the pharmaceutical industry to the Company. Caroline joins Affimed from H.C. Wainwright, where she served as Managing Director and Senior Biotechnology Analyst. During her tenure as Senior Biotechnology Analyst and V.P. at Piper Jaffray she was named Wall Street Journal's "Best on the Street" (#4) and Financial Times / Starmine #3 Best Stock Picker 2008. More recently, she served as Director of Investor Relations at Merck KGaA and also as a Senior Manager of US Finance for Sanofi's oncology drugs. Her experience is enhanced by her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Barnard College of Columbia University and Master's degrees in Chemistry and Biology from Brandeis University.
Oscar is a biopharmaceutical executive with expertise in early to late-stage development of oncology and infectious diseases products. He held positions of increasing responsibility at Cambridge Biotech/Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, Lexigen Pharmaceuticals, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and EMD Serono, where he led the efforts to develop immunotherapy for solid tumors and hematologic cancers. At Millennium, he contributed to the development of bortezomib (Velcade®) in multiple myeloma, and led its development in solid tumors. Oscar managed a portfolio of more than 20 different vaccines and antibody therapies for cancer, and forged collaborations and alliances with the US Government and academic institutions across the US and Europe. He held faculty positions at universities in the US and abroad, and authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts and book chapters. He joins talented peers to support the medical team in translating the Company's research and development efforts into novel therapeutic options for cancer patients.
"We greatly appreciate the opportunity to profit from Oscar's broad-based expertise in oncology, immunology and clinical development. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the clinic, academia and industry," added Jens-Peter Marschner, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Affimed. "He will support our scientific and clinical activities and will also grow and foster our network of experts and KOLs in the US."
Dr. Kashala is the recipient of several prestigious awards from WHO and NIH/NCI. He holds a Doctor of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics degree (M.D.) from the University of Kinshasa Medical School, a Specialist of Pathology and Oncology degree from a combined program of the University of Kinshasa and the University of Geneva medical schools, and a Doctor of Science degree in cancer biology from Harvard University.
About Affimed N.V.
Affimed (Nasdaq: AFMD ) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies. Affimed's product candidates are being developed in the field of immuno-oncology, which represents an innovative approach to cancer treatment that seeks to harness the body's own immune defenses to fight tumor cells. The most potent cells of the human defense arsenal are types of white blood cells called natural killer cells, or NK-cells, and T-cells. Affimed's proprietary, next-generation bispecific antibodies, called TandAbs for their tandem antibody structure, are designed to direct and establish a bridge between either NK-cells or T-cells and cancer cells, triggering a signal cascade that leads to the destruction of cancer cells. Affimed has focused its research and development efforts on three proprietary TandAb programs for which it retains global commercial rights. For more information, please visit www.affimed.com .
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "look forward to", "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management only as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the risk of cessation or delay of any of the ongoing or planned clinical studies and/or development of our product candidates. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including, without limitation, risks associated with our clinical development activities, regulatory oversight, product commercialization, intellectual property claims, and the risks, uncertainties and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Affimed's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
Affimed N.V. Caroline Stewart, Head IR & Communication Phone: +1 347-394-6793 E-Mail: or Media requests: Anca Alexandru or Gretchen Schweitzer MacDougall Biomedical Communications Phone: +49 89 2424 3494 or +49 163 613 3359 E-Mail:
