BNS Ophthalmics appoints Joseph Papa and Ari Kellen to the Board of Directors

Simon Benita, Professor Emeritus at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Founder, CEO and Chairman of ΒΝS and Chairman of BNSO, stated: "We are very proud to have two outstanding new Directors joining the BNSO Board, bringing extensive expertise in relevant therapeutic areas and strategic decision-making capabilities. Ari has already contributed significantly to BNS's strategic and scientific progress since 2018, thanks to his extensive experience and strong background. Joseph and Ari, having worked together, bring an impressive and successful track record of leadership and achievements. I am convinced that under their joint guidance, BNSO will succeed in bringing novel medicines to the market to serve important patient needs, while creating significant shareholder value. The presence of Joseph and Ari in the BNSO Board reflects their confidence in BNSO scientific potential and excitement about the future prospects of BNSO.  

Aris Mitsopoulos, Vice President of RAFARM and CEO of BNSO, stated: "We are thrilled to welcome Joseph Papa and Ari Kellen, to our esteemed Board of Directors. Joseph Papa brings a wealth of experience, competence and an innovation perspective that will undoubtedly enrich our board discussions and drive our collective vision forward. Ari Kellen, with a proven record of outstanding leadership and a wealth of knowledge in healthcare companies across all sectors and major geographies, brings his strategic thinking and invaluable expertise to BNSO. Their collective expertise and diverse perspectives will shape the future, empowering us to achieve remarkable milestones in Ophthalmology".

Joseph Papa has more than 30 years of leadership experience across a diverse range of global pharmaceutical businesses, encompassing branded and generic drugs spanning nearly every therapeutic area. As chairman and CEO of Bausch & Lomb, he led the eye health company through an IPO after completing the successful turnaround of multinational pharmaceutical company Valeant Pharmaceuticals (now Bausch Health Companies). Previously, Joseph spearheaded Perrigo's transformation into a global multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical manufacturer during his 10-year tenure as CEO. Joseph has a strong track record of building businesses with global healthcare organizations, and has been instrumental in leading the launch of products that are widely recognized as blockbuster drugs. He received a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut and a master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.  In addition, Joe received an honorary doctor of science degree from the University of Connecticut's School of Pharmacy.

Dr Ari Kellen is an experienced healthcare executive with global P&L and consulting experience across R&D, commercial, supply chain and distribution. Since 2017 Ari has served as an advisor/board member to growth-stage healthcare companies and as a counselor to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies on growth, innovation, and risk management. Ari has been working closely with BNS since 2018, helping advance its preclinical programs across Ophthalmology, Metabolic Disease and Oncology. Previously, he led a multi-billion dollar P&L, working closely with Mr Papa as Global Segment lead for Bausch & Lomb. Prior to that, Ari served as a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, advising leading healthcare companies around the world in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, health care systems and services. Prior to joining McKinsey he was a practicing physician in South Africa while also running a large segment of a 1,000 bed teaching hospital. Ari has a Medical Degree and MBA from Witwatersrand University, South Africa, both with distinction.

As previously announced on May 29, RAFARM, a Greek-based pharmaceutical company and established European manufacturer with expertise in Ophthalmics, and BioNanoSim (BNS), an Israeli-based nanotechnology drug discovery and development company, entered into an agreement to create a new Ophthalmic company called BNS Ophthalmics (BNSO). BNSO will develop, manufacture and commercialize a range of innovative ophthalmic pharmaceutical products developed by BioNanoSim to address serious ophthalmic unmet needs for patients around the world. RAFARM will provide appropriate funding, together with infrastructure for development, commercial scale manufacturing and distribution. BNSO is on track to initiate a phase I/IIa clinical study this year in patients suffering from Chronic Anterior Uveitis, and has two additional preclinical programs in its pipeline. Together, BNSO's programs target multibillion dollar global market opportunities.

About BioNanoSim (BNS)

BioNanoSim is led by Prof. Simon Benita who has decades of scientific expertise as well as proven commercial success in bringing nanoparticle-based products to market. BioNanoSim is backed by strong leadership, the collective know-how of a talented cross-functional team, and affiliation with the Hebrew University. These enable us to target multiple areas of unmet needs simultaneously. Our inhouse GMP facility is the perfect platform for the manufacturing of independent nanocarrier-based drugs for clinical testing.

https://www.bionanosim.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bionanosim/about/

About RAFARM

RAFARM is an innovation-driven, dynamically growing pharmaceutical company and a well-established European manufacturer with an outward-looking orientation that invests 13% of net turnover in Research and Development. At RAFARM, we expand our exports worldwide and open new markets. We constantly enhance our expertise in complex pharmaceutical products and invest in high-tech platforms for the development and production of ophthalmics and injectables. We introduce high technology in our state-of-the-art sterile manufacturing plant and create new production lines with cutting-edge technology and robotic equipment.

At RAFARM, we evolve beyond the obvious and make a positive impact on people's lives.

www.rafarm.gr                        

https://www.linkedin.com/company/rafarm-s.a/

Contacts:
Alon Moran 
Tel: +972-2-5956171
[email protected]

Christina Veiopoulou
Tel: +30 211 176 1000 (1212) 

+30 6946 338234
[email protected]

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Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2106510/BNSO_JPapa_AKellen.jpg

SOURCE RAFARM; BNS