OncoSec Medical Inc. (OTCQB: ONCS),
a company developing DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapies, has
appointed Sheela Mohan-Peterson, J.D., M.S. to the position of General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary. In this newly created role, she will be
responsible for leading the Company’s global legal strategy and guiding
the continued expansion of its intellectual property portfolio. Ms.
Mohan-Peterson will be supported by an experienced internal legal team
that includes legal associate and paralegal positions.
Punit Dhillon, President and CEO, said, “Sheela will be leading our
expanded legal department during a pivotal moment for the Company. Her
extensive legal expertise and strategic leadership experience will allow
us to aggressively pursue new intellectual property and support the
ongoing expansion of our R&D and preclinical activities, as well as take
the lead on negotiating several business development opportunities.”
Ms. Mohan-Peterson has spent more than 27 years working in the
pharmaceutical and biotech industries, most recently as a Senior Patent
Counsel with Merck & Co., Inc. She received her bachelor’s degree in
biology from Washington University in St. Louis, and her master’s degree
in molecular biology from Rutgers University. Ms. Mohan-Peterson began
her career in 1986 as a scientist in the Tumor Biology department of
Schering-Plough Research Institute in Bloomfield, New Jersey. In 1991,
she transferred to the Human Immunology department at DNAX Research
Institute, a subsidiary of Schering-Plough, located in Palo Alto,
California. After graduating from law school in 1997, she began her
career as a patent attorney at Incyte Genomics in Palo Alto, and then as
a patent counsel at Roche Bioscience, also in Palo Alto. In 2000, she
returned to DNAX as a senior patent counsel and remained there for
several years after a merger with Merck.
“I am very excited to be leading OncoSec’s legal department,” said Ms.
Mohan-Peterson. “In my new role, one of my major goals will be to
strengthen and expand OncoSec’s intellectual property, which will
establish a strong foundation to propel the company to great success in
the future.”
About OncoSec Medical Inc.
OncoSec Medical Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing its
ImmunoPulse immunotherapy to treat solid tumors. OncoSec Medical’s core
technology leverages a proprietary electroporation platform to
enhance the local delivery and uptake of DNA IL-12 and other DNA-based
immune-modulating agents. Clinical studies of ImmunoPulse have
demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and preliminary evidence of
anti-tumor activity in the treatment of various skin cancers, as well as
the potential to initiate a systemic immune response without the
systemic toxicities associated with other treatments. OncoSec’s clinical
programs currently include three Phase 2 trials targeting metastatic
melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, conducted
in collaboration with several prominent academic medical centers. As the
company continues to evaluate ImmunoPulse in these indications, it is
also investigating additional indications and combination therapeutic
approaches. For more information, please visit www.oncosec.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Any statements in this release that are not historical facts may be
considered such “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements
are based on management’s current preliminary expectations and are
subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause our results to
differ materially and adversely from the statements contained herein.
Some of the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ from those predicted include our ability to raise
additional funding, our ability to acquire, develop or commercialize new
products, uncertainties inherent in pre-clinical studies and clinical
trials, unexpected new data, safety and technical issues, competition,
and market conditions. These and additional risks and uncertainties are
more fully described in OncoSec Medical’s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Undue reliance should not be placed on
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are
made. OncoSec Medical disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or
circumstances after the date they are made, or to reflect the occurrence
of unanticipated events.
Copyright Business Wire 2014