Blue Water Vaccines Announces the Appointments of Former Congressman Theodore S. Yoho as the Head of Business Development and Manufacturing Expert Andrew D. Skibo as the Global Head of Biologics Operations

CINCINNATI, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Water Vaccines (BWV), Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it has engaged the services of former Congressman Theodore Scott Yoho, as the Head of Business Development and veteran vaccine manufacturing specialist Andrew D. Skibo as Global Head of Biologics Operations. Mr. Yoho brings with him over 28 years of practice experience, including 8 years of serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and will facilitate the process of bringing Blue Water Vaccines' many different biological products to the market, as soon as possible. Mr. Skibo's over 4 decades of experience in leading manufacturing operations and process development will guide the company to efficiently expand its vaccine pipeline.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Andy and Ted join our team," said Joseph Hernandez, Chairman and CEO of Blue Water Vaccines. "Their experience will help Blue Water Vaccines navigate the processes from preclinical vaccine development to clinical testing, and finally enabling BWV's vaccine candidates to be market-ready."  

"Blue Water Vaccines is developing crucial vaccines to combat critical infections that affect millions, including Streptococcus pneumoniae," said Andy Skibo, Global Head of Biologics Operations, at Blue Water Vaccines. "I am looking forward to guiding this company in attaining their manufacturing goals and bring their vaccines to the clinic."

"I'm excited to partner up with a dynamic company like Blue Water Vaccines under the leadership of Mr. Joe Hernandez," said Ted S. Yoho, Head of Business Development at Blue Water Vaccines. "The success of the company's vaccine products will improve health conditions and improve the lives of millions of people around the globe."

Mr. Skibo, a veteran of the pharmaceutical industry, is experienced in capital project development. He began his career in biologics operations at Genentech in 1982 and was involved in the development of the first large scale, mammalian cell culture processes that are still in use today. Later he worked at Amgen, his own business, and several large international engineering firms including Foster Wheeler, where he served as President of their Life Sciences Division. Prior to retiring in April 2019, Mr. Skibo served for 11 years as MedImmune's EVP of Operations and Astra Zeneca's Head of Global Biologics Operations. The latter role included responsibilities for AZ's biologics and vaccine franchises, including LAIV FluMist/FluEnz. He has served as Chairman of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers, and Chairman of the Global Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Leadership Forum.  He earned his bachelor's in Chemistry, and master's in Chemical Engineering, from MIT.

Mr. Yoho earned his bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Florida, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

Blue Water Vaccines is developing a universal influenza vaccine that could potentially provide lifelong protection from influenza, including pandemic strains like the 1918 pandemic and 2009 swine flu. Scientists from the University of Oxford identified epitopes of limited variability in the head domain of the haemagglutinin protein. These epitopes are targeted naturally by the immune system and vaccination studies have shown that regions of influenza viruses that circulated in 2006 and 1977 were able to protect against infection with an influenza virus that last circulated in 1934. 

About Blue Water Vaccines
Blue Water Vaccines, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformational vaccines to address significant health challenges globally. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, the company holds the rights to proprietary technology developed at the University of Oxford and St. Jude Children's Hospital. Blue Water Vaccines is developing a Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) vaccine candidate, designed to specifically prevent middle ear infections, known as Acute Otitis Media (AOM), in children. The live-attenuated vaccine candidate has been shown to effectively prevent colonization of pneumococcus bacteria in the middle ear of chinchillas regardless of serotype. AOM accounts for approximately 20 million physician visits each year in the United States. Globally, AOM caused by pneumococcus accounts for approximately 300 million cases annually. For more information, visit www.bluewatervaccines.com.

Contact Information:
Erin Henderson
Email: [email protected]

Olipriya Das (media)
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE Blue Water Vaccines Inc.

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