BEDMINSTER, N.J., Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE AMER: MTNB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation therapeutics to advance standards of care in areas of significant unmet medical need, today announced the appointment of Hui Liu, Ph.D., M.B.A. as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Liu joins Matinas with extensive experience in pharmaceutical formulation and delivery technologies, including lipid nanoparticle formulations of mRNA, siRNA and vaccines. In this new role, Dr. Liu will work closely with Raphael Mannino, Ph.D., Matinas’ Chief Scientific Officer, and lead efforts to further strengthen the Company’s proprietary lipid nanocrystal (LNC) drug delivery platform and accelerate its potential applications for both internal programs and external collaborations.
“Dr. Liu has spent his career studying, developing, and optimizing drug delivery technologies. His substantial expertise and technical depth complement our existing internal team and fills an essential role in our organization as we look to capitalize upon our proprietary, unique and differentiated LNC delivery platform,” commented Jerome D. Jabbour, Chief Executive Officer of Matinas. “Hui’s accomplishments, especially within the biologics and gene therapy fields, should serve us well as we continue to advance our product candidates and collaborations with an aim to transform the current paradigm for the delivery of innovative medicines.”
“I am honored to join the Matinas team and to help accelerate the growth of the Company’s LNC delivery platform,” commented Dr. Liu. “I am very excited by the possibilities of this potentially disruptive technology and I look forward to working closely with the team to deliver our ambitious vision.”
Dr. Liu has more than two decades of experience in the formulation of small molecules, biologics, and gene therapies. Dr. Liu joins Matinas directly from Seqirus, a global leader in influenza and pandemic response, where he served as Director of Formulation and Delivery. At Seqirus, Dr. Liu built and led development of lipid nanoparticle technology platforms for next generation gene therapy products. Earlier in his career, Dr. Liu held positions at Cellics Therapeutics, Alcon (a spinoff of Novartis) and Allergan. Dr. Liu is a named inventor on 19 patents related to drug delivery technologies and biodegradable polymers. Dr. Liu holds a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from the University of Michigan, an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a B.S. from The University of Science and Technology of China.
About Matinas BioPharma
Matinas BioPharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation therapeutics to advance standards of care for patients in areas of significant unmet medical need. Company leadership has a deep history and knowledge of drug development and is supported by a world-class team of scientific advisors.
MAT9001, the Company’s lead product candidate for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, is a prescription-only omega-3 fatty acid-based composition, comprised primarily of EPA and DPA, under development for hypertriglyceridemia. MAT9001 is currently in a second head-to-head comparative study against Vascepa® (ENHANCE-IT), with topline data expected in the first quarter of 2021.
In addition, Matinas is developing a portfolio of products based upon its proprietary lipid nanocrystal (LNC) drug delivery platform, which can solve complex challenges relating to the safe and effective delivery of potent medicines, making them orally bioavailable, less toxic and targeted to cells and tissues.
MAT2203, is an oral, encochleated formulation of the well-known, but highly toxic, antifungal medicine amphotericin B, primarily used to treat serious invasive fungal infections. MAT2203 is currently in a Phase 2 open-label, sequential cohort study (EnACT) in HIV-infected patients with cryptococcal meningitis. EnACT is preparing to enroll patients in its second cohort, with the next DSMB evaluation of safety and efficacy data anticipated to occur in the middle of 2021.
MAT2501 is an oral, encochleated formulation of the broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic medicine amikacin, primarily used to treat chronic and acute bacterial infections. The Company recently announced that it has been awarded up to $3.75 million from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) to support development of MAT2501 toward an indication to treat nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, including infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
