Ophirex Appoints Jeremy Gowler As CEO, Replacing Nancy J. Koch

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Ophirex is a Public Benefit Corporation developing a first-of-its-kind oral treatment to address the global unmet need of venomous snakebites. Worldwide, there are approximately 500,000 cases of snakebite envenoming resulting in death or permanent disability each year. While antivenom has been the standard of care to treat these bites for more than 100 years, it can only be administered in a hospital setting. This poses a significant challenge as 75% of deaths from venomous snakebites occur before the victim can reach appropriately equipped medical care. Ophirex is advancing its investigational treatment, varespladib, as an easily portable, oral, broad-spectrum treatment for snakebite. Ideally taken immediately following a snake’s bite, it is intended to provide a bridge to survival between bite and arrival to the hospital. If successful, this early intervention is anticipated to result in improved overall outcomes for patients at risk of death and long-term disability from snakebite. The company previously completed a Phase 2 clinical study of the varespladib oral formulation and is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 2 study to evaluate IV-to-oral dosing.