viDA Therapeutics Inc. Appoints Orphan Product Executive to Board of Directors

VANCOUVER, March 30, 2016 /CNW/ - viDA Therapeutics, Inc. (viDA) announced today that Dr. Robert P. Ryan has been appointed to its Board of Directors.

As CEO of Innova Therapeutics, Dr. Ryan, brings significant orphan and rare disease development experience to viDA.  Prior to that he co-Founded and served as President and CEO of Scioderm LLC, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of an innovative topical treatment for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). EB is a disorder leading to extremely fragile skin that blisters and tears from minor friction or trauma. In many children it leads to severe complications and a very early death. In September 2015, Scioderm, LLC, the first biotechnology company to ever receive Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, was acquired by Amicus Therapeutics of Cranbury, N.J., in a transaction valued at US$957 million.

"I am most pleased to join the Board of viDA and to support the company in its realization of its mission and objectives for its lead product VTI-1002." noted Robert Ryan.  "I hope that my experience and perspectives in the dermatology and orphan drug space can contribute to ensuring the rapid and successful development of this exciting new compound."

"Management and Board members alike, look forward to working with Robert, in bringing our lead orphan product candidate, VTI-1002 for the treatment of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, an orphan autoimmune skin disorder, to people living with DLE "said Mr. Alistair Duncan, President & CEO.

Dr. Julia Levy, Chair of the viDA Board commented "To have Robert, with his extensive experience in orphan diseases join our Board is a wonderful event for viDA, and we look forward to working with him to make viDA a significant success."

Prior to Scioderm, LLC, Robert held senior regulatory positions at three leading CRO's, PPD, INC Research, and Quintiles where he also served as the Chief Regulatory Officer for Quintile's very successful PharmaBio division. Robert's diverse pharmaceutical career covered senior preclinical, regulatory and clinical activities with Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), UCB, Atherogenics, and Pfizer.

Robert is board certified in Toxicology and has a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Masters in Genetics and Pharmacokinetics

About viDA and VTI-1002

viDA Therapeutics, Inc. (viDA), a Vancouver, Canada based privately held biotechnology company, is focused on developing first-in-class therapies for treating autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, including orphan products.  The lead product candidate, VTI-1002, is in a topical formulation   for the treatment of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, an orphan chronic inflammatory autoimmune skin disorder. This disease is a severe chronic dermatological disease affecting women five times more than men. It can have a significant impact on quality of life due to severe facial disfigurement and scars. For additional information about viDA, please visit www.vidatherapeutics.com.

SOURCE viDA Therapeutics Inc

Media Contact: Alistair Duncan, B.Sc., C.A., President & CEO, Phone: [phone], [email protected]