Saint Herblain (France), November 13, 2019 – Valneva SE (“Valneva” or “the Company”), a biotech company developing and commercializing vaccines for infectious diseases with major unmet needs, today announced the appointment of two leading vaccine experts to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Norman W. Baylor, PhD, and Dr. George R. Siber, will join Valneva’s SAB starting December 1, 2019.
Dr. Norman W. Baylor is currently the President and CEO of Biologics Consulting Group, Inc. He was formerly the Director of the Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) in the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Prior to his position as Director, Dr. Baylor served as Deputy Director of OVRR and Associate Director for Regulatory Policy. He has evaluated and facilitated the development and licensure of numerous new vaccines, such as acellular pertussis, varicella, pneumococcal conjugate, human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza, Zoster, and all of the new-generation combination vaccines during his 20-year career at the FDA.
Dr. Baylor received his BS degree in medical microbiology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his MS and PhD degrees in microbial genetics and molecular microbiology, respectively, from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Baylor spent three years as a postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and three years with Program Resources Incorporated as a Senior Research Scientist at the US National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research Facility. Dr. Baylor served as the FDA’s liaison to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the US Department of Health and Human Services National Vaccine Advisory Committee, and the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines. Dr. Baylor continues to serve as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization on several global vaccine initiatives.
Dr. George R. Siber is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University with 40 years’ experience in developing innovative vaccines. Dr. Siber served as a Director at the Massachusetts Biologic Labs and as Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer at Wyeth Vaccines, in addition to various other board roles. He has played a major role in preventing infectious diseases around the world, leading the research and development of multiple pediatric vaccines against pneumococcus, meningococcus, RSV, and rotavirus, among others.
Dr. Siber’s past academic appointments include positions at Harvard Medical School, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Tufts University School of Medicine. He earned a medical degree from McGill University in Canada; received postdoctoral training in internal medicine at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago and Beth Israel Hospital in Boston; and trained in infectious diseases and vaccinology at Children’s Hospital and Beth Israel Hospital through a joint Harvard Medical School program.
Thomas Lingelbach, President & Chief Executive Officer of Valneva commented, “These two new appointments will strengthen Valneva’s SAB as the Company’s leading programs on Lyme disease and chikungunya are approaching late stage clinical development. Each of these diseases represent a significant unmet medical need and both Dr. Baylor’s and Dr. Siber’s expertise will be invaluable to achieve our goal of bringing these new and critical vaccines to patients”.
Dr. Baylor and Dr. Siber will join Dr. Ralf Clemens, Chairman of the SAB, and Dr. Alain Munoz, who were appointed to Valneva’s SAB in July 2019.
About Valneva SE
Valneva is a biotech company developing and commercializing vaccines for infectious diseases with major unmet needs. Valneva’s portfolio includes two commercial vaccines for travelers: IXIARO®/JESPECT® indicated for the prevention of Japanese encephalitis and DUKORAL® indicated for the prevention of cholera and, in some countries, prevention of diarrhea caused by ETEC. The Company has various clinical-stage vaccines in development including unique vaccines against Lyme disease and chikungunya. Valneva has operations in Austria, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and the US with approximately 490 employees. More information is available at www.valneva.com.
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