FIT Biotech Oy: Appointment to FIT Biotech's Manag

FIT BIOTECH OY

Company announcement March 30, 2017 at 09.15 EET

Appointment to FIT Biotech's Management Team

The Board of Directors of the Finnish biotechnology company FIT Biotech Oy ("Company") today announced the appointment of Santeri Kiviluoto, PhD, as the Company's new Chief Scientific Officer.  He will assume his duties effective May 1, 2017 as a VP, member of the management team.

Dr. Kiviluoto is an experienced scientist with high academic credentials. He brings a wealth of technological and business knowhow to the company. During his career, he has conducted research on biomarker discovery and setting up a genome editing pipeline. As a postdoctoral scientist at Yale University he was engaged in cutting-edge genetics research and has published e.g. in Nature Communications.  In addition, Dr. Kiviluoto has been involved with biomedical business development in the United States and Europe, and has further been educated in investment management and the biopharmaceutical business while at Yale University. 

"We are extremely pleased to have as accomplished a scientist as Santeri join the management team. He brings genetic research experience at one of the preeminent universities in the world. The company's scientific strategy and progress will be greatly enhanced by his leadership of the scientific programs," said James Kuo, FIT Biotech's Chief Executive Officer. "We are looking forward to his contributions in business development as we embark on a new phase of our growth."

Dr. Kiviluoto received his PhD in biomedical sciences from KU Leuven in Belgium. His MSc in biochemistry is from Åbo Akademi in Finland, from where he also received his BSc In Economics and Business Administration.

Dr. Kiviluoto replaces Dr. Kalevi Reijonen, FIT's Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer who will retire effective June 1, 2017.  Dr. Männik, FIT's  previous Chief Scientific Officer will continue heading the Company's preclinical research. Dr. Reijonen have graciously agreed to assist Dr. Kiviluoto with the smooth transition to his new responsibilities.

"I am glad to join FIT Biotech at this exciting juncture, when the market for the company's innovative gtGTU gene therapy vector grows at an increasing pace, and the HIV vaccine functional cure is being further clinically tested by a European consortium of recognized experts," commented Santeri Kiviluoto. "I look forward to working with the rest of the management team and the board of directors to advance our lead products most rapidly to the patients who are in desperate need of novel therapies."

FIT BIOTECH OY

For further information: Chairman of the Board of Directors Juha Vapaavuori E-mail: juha.vapaavuori@fitbiotech.com Tel: +358 50 372 0824

Certified Advisor: Aalto Capital Partners Oy, tel. +358 40 587 7000

About FIT Biotech FIT Biotech Oy is a biotechnology company established in 1995. The company develops and licenses its pa-tented GTU® (Gene Transport Unit) vector technology for new-generation medical treatments. GTU® is a gene transport technology that meets an important medical challenge in the usability of gene therapy and DNA vaccines.

FIT Biotech applies GTU® technology in its drug development programmes. Application areas include can-cer (gene therapy) and infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, as well as animal vaccines. FIT Biotech shares are listed on the First North Finland marketplace maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki Oy.

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