Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Nihar Nayak to its Scientific Advisory Board

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics, Inc. (APT), a private company developing the first medical device specifically designed to treat preeclampsia, is happy to announce the appointment of its first scientific advisor: Nihar Nayak, PhD, DVM. Dr. Nayak brings to the table over 16 years of research experience and a passion for the development of novel products to treat preeclampsia.

Dr. Nayak is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Research) and the Director of Translational Research in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. As a key scientific leader in the prenatal field with extensive expertise in translational research, Dr. Nayak will offer APT a valuable perspective on product development and study design.

"His prior work with sFlt-1 and his expertise in translational research make him exceptionally valuable as an advisor and research collaborator," explains Dr. James Smith, CEO and President of APT. "Dr. Nayak's affiliation with Stanford's world-class research and clinical environment provides us with extraordinary resources and opportunities to advance our product commercialization efforts."

One of Dr. Nayak's major research goals is to understand the uterine mechanisms that affect blood vessel development during preeclampsia and to facilitate the translation of cutting edge research into new therapies. "Preeclampsia, a leading cause of prematurity and maternal and fetal death, is a completely unmet medical need," explains Dr. Nayak. "Research and development using therapeutic targets like sFlt-1 and other circulating factors could open the door to much needed therapies for preeclampsia patients."

Dr. Nayak has received several research awards, including the Lalor Foundation postdoctoral fellowship, the Andrew Mellon Foundation Junior Investigator Award, and the NIH BIRCWH award. Recently, Dr. Nayak also received a Vision Grant from the Preeclampsia Foundation to study the role of placental proteins in preeclampsia with a focus on sFlt-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF, the biomarkers affected by APT's initial product development efforts.

About Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics, Inc. (www.advancedprenatal.com) Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics, Inc.'s mission is to develop treatments for preeclampsia that will safely prolong pregnancy. To accomplish this goal, APT is developing a novel therapeutic device for preeclampsia that specifically removes disease-causing factors from the mother's blood. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that development efforts will succeed, or that the novel therapeutic products will receive regulatory clearance, or achieve commercial success.

Investor Relations:
Dan Thiel
Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics, Inc.
949.340.7261
[email protected]

SOURCE Advanced Prenatal Therapeutics