WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:NERV), a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies to treat central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced
the election of William F. Doyle and Hans Peter Hasler to the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Bill Doyle and Hans Peter Hasler bring distinguished leadership backgrounds and complementary sets of expertise to Minerva’s
Board of Directors,” said Dr. Fouzia Laghrissi-Thode, Board member and chairperson of the search committee at Minerva. “Their
bio-pharma industry-specific experience, which encompasses strategic development, partnering, licensing, product launches,
marketing and commercialization, will benefit Minerva as the foundation is laid for the commercialization of the Company’s products
currently in advanced clinical development. We look forward to Bill’s and Hans’s entrepreneurial and operational perspectives
on how Minerva can best add value beyond its clinical achievements to help patients suffering from neuropsychiatric diseases.”
Mr. Doyle is Executive Chairman of Novocure Ltd. (NASDAQ:NVCR), a commercial stage oncology company pioneering a novel therapy
for solid tumors, where he has served as Chairman of the Board since 2009 and a director since 2004. Mr. Doyle has also been
the Managing Director of WFD Ventures LLC, a private venture capital firm he co-founded, since 2002. Previously, Mr. Doyle
was a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Medical Devices and Diagnostics Group Operating Committee and Vice President, Licensing and
Acquisitions. While at Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Doyle was also Chairman of the Medical Devices Research and Development Council,
Worldwide President of Biosense-Webster, Inc. and a member of the boards of Cordis Corporation and Johnson & Johnson Development
Corporation, Johnson & Johnson’s venture capital subsidiary. Earlier in his career, Mr. Doyle was a management consultant in the
global healthcare practice of McKinsey & Company. His additional board positions include the private company, Blink Health Ltd.,
and OptiNose US, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTN). Mr. Doyle holds an S.B. in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Hasler is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vicarius Pharma AG, a privately held company that provides strategic
options to non-European bio-pharma companies in bringing late-stage assets to the European market. He also is a Senior Advisor at
SBTech Global Advisory. His prior corporate experience includes Elan Corporation, where he was Chief Operating Officer, and
Biogen, Inc., where his positions included Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Neurology and
International. Previously, Mr. Hasler was at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals as Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and
Managing Director of Wyeth Group Germany and General Manager, Wyeth-Lederle Switzerland, Austria and ECE. Mr. Hasler is Chairman of
the Board of HBM Healthcare Investments AG in Zug, Switzerland and Director of the Board of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in Hyderabad,
India. Mr. Hasler holds a Federal Swiss Commercial Diploma and a Marketing Manager Certificate from the Swiss Institute of Business
Economy SIB, Zurich, Switzerland.
About Minerva Neurosciences
Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a
portfolio of products to treat CNS diseases. Minerva’s proprietary compounds include: MIN-101, in clinical development for
schizophrenia; seltorexant (MIN-202 or JNJ-42847922), in clinical development for insomnia and major depressive disorder (MDD);
MIN-117, in clinical development for MDD; and MIN-301, in pre-clinical development for Parkinson’s disease. Minerva’s common
stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “NERV.” For more information, please visit www.minervaneurosciences.com.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts, reflect management’s expectations as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties.
Forward-looking statements include statements herein regarding our ability to successfully develop and commercialize our
therapeutic products. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and may differ materially from
actual results due to a variety of factors including, without limitation, management’s ability to successfully achieve its goals;
our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations on terms acceptable to us; and general economic conditions.
These and other potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more
fully detailed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on November 6, 2017. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on our website
at www.minervaneurosciences.com. The forward-looking statements in this press release
are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements, except as required by law.
Contact:
William B. Boni
VP, Investor Relations/
Corp. Communications
Minerva Neurosciences, Inc.
(617) 600-7376
