Xequel Bio Expands Leadership Team with Appointments of Dr. Michael J. Brubaker as Chief Scientific Officer and Tony C. Tipton as Chief Operating Officer

Seasoned Biopharma Executives Bring Significant Clinical Development and Commercial Expertise

CHARLESTON, S.C. and FORT WORTH, Texas, July 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xequel Bio, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing dermatologic and ophthalmic therapeutics utilizing its patented new chemical entity aCT1 (alpha-Connexin carboxyl-Terminal 1 peptide), announced today the appointments of Michael J. Brubaker, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer and Tony C. Tipton as Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Brubaker is responsible for Xequel’s Research and Development along with Regulatory Affairs. Mr. Tipton is responsible for Xequel’s Corporate Development, Licensing and Commercial activities.

“The addition of these two key executives to our team comes at an important time as we continue to build momentum,” said Jerry St. Peter, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member. “Mike and Tony bring proven leadership, extensive global clinical development and commercial expertise, especially in ophthalmology and dermatology. We are building on our proprietary aCT1 peptide technology platform to advance several promising clinical and preclinical programs aimed to develop drugs that will revolutionize the way the body responds to injury. We believe the synergy between our seasoned team coupled with our proprietary aCT1 platform position Xequel for multiple future opportunities to develop promising, novel therapies for physicians and their patients.”

Michael J. Brubaker, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Brubaker is a recognized pharmaceutical drug and medical device development expert with 25 years of experience with an emphasis in the ophthalmology, otic and respiratory disease areas. Prior to joining Xequel, Dr. Brubaker worked at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. as a Global Program Head in the Ophthalmology Development Unit responsible for setting the ophthalmic digital Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) development strategy and leading the Xiidra^® & Ophtha Digital global program teams. Previously, he worked at Abbott Laboratories, Bausch & Lomb Pharmaceuticals, and Alcon Laboratories, where he held various positions of increasing responsibility within clinical research, project strategic leadership, and as the VP of enterprise-wide project/program management in various ophthalmology disease areas. Dr. Brubaker earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Bio-organic Chemistry from Wichita State University, and he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.

Tony C. Tipton, Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Tipton brings over 25 years of specialty biopharma executive leadership experience in developing and executing business strategies across market access, trade distribution, commercial sales and marketing, business development and organizational growth. Prior to joining Xequel, Mr. Tipton served as Vice President of Market Access and Trade Channels at Santen Pharmaceuticals, USA, formerly Eyevance Pharmaceuticals. His past roles in biopharmaceuticals have provided diversified experiences in numerous specialty areas including dermatology, ophthalmology, neurology, psychiatry and respiratory diseases. Mr. Tipton earned his B.S. in Education and Health from the University of Tennessee, and he completed the Executive Leadership Certification Program from Rice University.

About Xequel’s aCT1 Technology Platform

Xequel Bio’s aCT1 (alpha-Connexin carboxyl-Terminal 1 peptide) technology platform is designed to develop drugs that will enable physicians to better manage a variety of indications involving inflammation and the body’s response to injury. aCT1 is a patented new chemical entity, based on the C-terminal sequence of Connexin43, designed to selectively and reversibly inhibit protein binding of endogenous Connexin43 to key binding partners. Connexin43 plays critical roles in multiple aspects of the injury response, including spread of injury signals, extravasation of immune cells, granulation tissue formation and fibrosis. aCT1’s unique, targeted mechanism of action has been demonstrated to restore the coordination of cellular communication, reinforce junctional integrity and temper excessive inflammatory responses in injured tissues for optimal injury response and tissue repair. aCT1 is currently in clinical development for multiple indications across dermatology and ophthalmology, as well as in ongoing preclinical research in pulmonology.

About Xequel Bio, Inc.

Xequel Bio, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company advancing its proprietary aCT1 (alpha-Connexin carboxyl-Terminal 1 peptide) technology platform to develop drugs that will enable physicians to better manage a variety of indications involving inflammation and the body’s response to injury. aCT1 is a patented new chemical entity currently in development for multiple indications. The Company’s lead clinical programs include Granexin^® gel in dermatology and iNexin™ ophthalmic solution in ophthalmology. The Company also has ongoing preclinical research in pulmonology. For more information, please visit www.xequel.com.

Contacts:
Wes Brazell, Chief Financial Officer, Xequel Bio, Inc.
Jenny Kobin, IR Advisory Solutions
Info@xequel.com

Source: Xequel Bio, Inc.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b5243f0-2f84-4068-8e1e-9ff6e403a001

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33ea1e8a-2741-43c0-a90a-d34654ede7b9