Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. has appointed Dr. Moncef Slaoui, a distinguished pharmaceutical expert and former Chief Scientific Advisor for Operation Warp Speed, to its board of directors. Dr. Slaoui brings significant experience in pharmaceutical product innovation, development, and commercialization of therapeutics and vaccines. He was instrumental in enabling the rapid development, manufacturing, and approval of multiple COVID-19 vaccines within 11 months under Operation Warp Speed.
Dr. Slaoui's expertise comes from his nearly 30-year tenure at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where he held various leadership positions, including Chairman of Pharmaceutical R&D and Chairman of Global Vaccines. Notably, his leadership at GSK led to the creation of 14 new vaccines, such as Shingrix® for shingles, Cervarix® for cervical cancer, and Mosquirix for malaria.
His remarkable contributions have earned him recognition as one of Fortune's 50 Greatest World Leaders and a position on the Advisory Committee to the Director of the NIH. Dr. Slaoui holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology and immunology and has served on the boards of biotechnology companies, including Moderna, Inc. and Lonza Group AG.
Arcturus Therapeutics, a global mRNA medicines and vaccines company, has developed the first self-amplifying messenger RNA (sa-mRNA) COVID vaccine, Kostaive®, which has been approved. The company's collaboration with CSL Seqirus and joint venture in Japan, Arcalis, further strengthens its global presence in innovative mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
Arcturus' pipeline includes RNA therapeutic candidates for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and cystic fibrosis, as well as partnered mRNA vaccine programs for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and influenza. The company's versatile RNA therapeutics platforms can be applied to various nucleic acid medicines, including messenger RNA, small interfering RNA, circular RNA, antisense RNA, self-amplifying RNA, DNA, and gene editing therapeutics. Arcturus holds an extensive patent portfolio, with over 400 patents and patent applications in multiple countries.
The addition of Dr. Slaoui to Arcturus' board signals an exciting phase of growth for the company as it continues to advance its pipeline of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, utilizing next-generation STARR® self-amplifying mRNA and LUNAR® delivery technology platforms. As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved -0.4% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $27.33. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
