Former Head of Global Government Affairs and Policy at Gilead Sciences led wide-ranging collaborations with leading academic institutions and non-profit groups

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 12, 2018-- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDTX), a biotechnology company developing novel anti-infectives including immunotherapies, today announced the appointment of industry leader David Gollaher, Ph.D., to the company’s Board of Directors.

“With more than 30 years of experience in the biopharma and healthcare industry, Dr. Gollaher is an outstanding addition to our Board,” said Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cidara. “Dr. Gollaher has an impressive track record and brings a wealth of experience in government affairs and health policy, having established a wide range of collaborations and relationships with leading academic institutions and non-profit groups while at Gilead and throughout his career. We welcome his insights as we continue to advance our pipeline to deliver novel anti-infectives to patients and providers.”

“I’m honored to join Cidara’s board of directors at an exciting moment as the company moves into late-stage clinical development,” said David Gollaher, Ph.D. “Cidara’s pipeline holds great promise for treating and preventing serious infections and, led by an experienced and highly capable management team, the company is well positioned to bring value to patients, providers and investors. It’s a privilege to join them on the path toward medical and commercial success.”

Dr. Gollaher served as vice president of worldwide government affairs and policy for Gilead Sciences from early 2014 to mid-2018, a period during which the company launched a breakthrough cure for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and tripled revenues from $10 billion to $30 billion. In addition to leading the introduction of three novel drugs for HCV, building on Gilead’s strength in virology, he was involved in the launch of a new generation of medicines for HIV/AIDS. Prior to joining Gilead, Dr. Gollaher served for 20 years as co-founder and chief executive officer of the California Healthcare Institute (CHI). During this time, he built CHI into the nation’s premier state-based life sciences policy research and advocacy association, representing nearly 370 biopharma, medical device and diagnostics companies, along with leading academic institutions, venture capital and professional services firms. Earlier in his career, Dr. Gollaher was vice president at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, responsible for managed care, strategy and corporate affairs.

Additionally, in June of 2018, Dr. Gollaher was appointed a Senior Fellow at the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California. He also currently serves on Gilead’s Health Policy Advisory Board and the Board of Overseers for The Scripps Research Institute. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California Santa Barbara and both masters and doctorate degrees from Harvard University.

About Cidara Therapeutics

Cidara is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new anti-infectives that have the potential to transform the standard of care and save or improve patients’ lives. The company is currently advancing its novel echinocandin antifungal, rezafungin acetate, formerly known as CD101 IV, through clinical trials. Rezafungin has improved pharmacokinetics compared to existing echinocandins and the potential for expanded utility across patient settings. It is the only once-weekly product candidate in development for the treatment and prevention of life-threatening invasive fungal infections. The company’s Phase 2 STRIVE clinical trial of rezafungin met its primary safety and efficacy objectives, and provides support for Cidara to initiate Phase 3 pivotal trials in the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis and the prophylaxis of invasive fungal infections. Cidara also is leveraging its novel Cloudbreak™ platform to develop antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. Cloudbreak is the first immunotherapy discovery platform designed specifically to create compounds that directly kill pathogens and also direct a patient’s immune cells to attack and eliminate bacterial, fungal or viral pathogens. Cidara is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.cidara.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of Dr. Gollaher’s appointment to Cidara’s board of directors and our ability to advance our pipeline to deliver novel anti-infectives to patients and providers, the potential for the expanded utility of rezafungin across patient settings, and Cidara’s ability to successfully complete development of rezafungin and receive regulatory approval for any indication. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the success and timing of Cidara’s preclinical studies and clinical trials; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; changes in Cidara’s plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates; Cidara’s ability to obtain additional financing; Cidara’s ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; and the loss of key scientific or management personnel. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Cidara’s Form 10-Q most recently filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Cidara undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

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Source: Cidara Therapeutics, Inc.

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