Squarex Appoints Biopharmaceutical Industry Veteran Jack V. Talley as Chief Executive Officer

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Squarex, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a topical immunomodulator for the long-term prevention of recurrent cold sores and other diseases, today announced the appointment of Jack V. Talley, Jr. as Chief Executive Officer.

Hugh McTavish, Ph.D, J.D., one of Squarex's original founders, will remain Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Talley is a seasoned biopharmaceutical industry executive who has significant business and drug development experience during a 30-year career that started at Sanofi.

Mr. Talley currently serves on the board of Mitotherapeutix, a privately-held company using siRNA for a novel protein target that affects mitochondrial metabolism, such as liver disease. Previously, he served as CEO for five clinical-stage drug companies over a 19-year span, during which he took three companies public.  Most recently, Mr. Talley served as CEO, President and Director of Izun Pharmaceuticals, where he oversaw the spinoff of the company's dental business and the approval of three products by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

"Jack brings a depth of experience that provides a perfect complement for Squarex as we advance our lead drug candidate SQX770 through clinical trials," said Dr. McTavish. "The addition of Jack's business acumen, as well as his understanding of partnering strategies and the intricacies of drug development and the regulatory approval process, enhances our ability to deliver a high-value preventative compound that addresses an unmet medical need and stands out amongst all the other currently-approved drugs that act only to shorten herpes labialis (cold sores) outbreaks, rather than prevent them."

"With Squarex's lead compound generating encouraging Phase 2 clinical trial data and late-stage studies on the horizon, I am extremely excited to join at this crucial inflection point," said Mr. Talley. "I look forward to leading the Squarex team to advance the development of this innovative therapy as we prepare a commercial roadmap for the first-in-class approved treatment preventing herpes labialis outbreaks."

About SQX770

SQX770, Squarex's lead drug candidate, is a topical formulation of the immunomodulator squaric acid dibutyl ester (SADBE) for the prevention of recurrent cold sores (herpes labialis) and other infections caused by herpes simplex iruses. Now in Phase 2 clinical trials, it could be the first and only drug designed to prevent herpes labialis outbreaks to receive approval from the U.S. FDA.

About Squarex

Squarex is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a topical formulation of the immunomodulator squaric acid dibutyl ester for the prevention of recurrent cold sores (herpes labialis) and other infections caused by Herpes Simplex Viruses. Its Phase 1/2 placebo-controlled clinical trial showed the drug was safe and effective in preventing cold sore outbreaks, tripling the time to next cold sore outbreak from 40 days to more than 120. When FDA approved, SADBE would be the first and only drug on the market to prevent cold sore outbreaks in the more than 2% of the U.S. population with greater than six outbreaks per year.

Contacts:

Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. 

Sharen Tilman (Investors)  
[email protected] 
(646) 604-5149

Johanna Bennett (Media) 
[email protected] 
(212) 375-2686

SOURCE Squarex