Calidi Biotherapeutics Announces Appointment of Dr. Mark Gilbert to Medical Advisory Board

Former NIH/National Cancer Institute neuro-oncology leader adds in-depth government healthcare agency expertise to Calidi

SAN DIEGO, July 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calidi Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI or “Calidi”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of targeted antitumor virotherapies, today announced the appointment of Mark Gilbert, MD, scientist emeritus at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to its Medical Advisory Board. This addition increases the board’s membership to eight.

Dr. Gilbert most recently served as the Chief of the Neuro-Oncology Branch at NIH from 2014 to 2024. Under Dr. Gilbert’s leadership, his team of laboratory and clinical investigators conducted groundbreaking research that advanced science in the brain tumor field. He developed robust clinical trials based on strong preclinical findings, improving patient outcomes through innovative combination treatments and precision medicine approaches. 

“We are honored that Dr. Gilbert has recognized the revolutionary science at Calidi Biotherapeutics in both tumoral and glioblastoma cancer treatment. He joins other luminaries on our Medical Advisory Board who also believe in our stem-cell based therapy’s potential to offer hope and better results for those with cancer,” said Allan Camaisa, CEO of Calidi.

“What intrigued me about Calidi’s SNV1 and NNV1 is its versatility and ability to potentially address rare cancer diseases affecting about 25% of cancer patients,” stated Dr Gilbert.

Before joining NIH, Dr. Gilbert practiced under another Medical Advisory Board member, world-renowned oncologist Dr. Alfred Yung, at MD Anderson in Houston from 1990 to 2014. Prior to that, Dr. Gilbert worked at UPMC in Pittsburgh, Emory University in Atlanta, and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Dr. Gilbert received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1982 (Alpha Omega Alpha) and completed residencies in internal medicine and neurology, as well as a neuro-oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins.

“I am deeply honored to join such a dynamic team of scientists and business leaders at Calidi. They have scientifically proven a game-changing therapy that I am happy to support, as many of my colleagues on the Medical Advisory Board have done,” said Dr. Gilbert.

Other members of the Calidi Biotherapeutics Medical Advisory Board include W.K. Alfred Yung, MD (MD Anderson); Karen Aboody, MD (City of Hope), Santosh Kesari, MD/PhD (Saint John’s Cancer Institute); Matt Lesniak, MD (Northwestern University); Ewa Carrier, MD (FibroGen); Dmitriy Zamarin, MD/PhD (Mount Sinai); Ashok Srivastava MD/PhD (CliniFomatrix).

Mr. Camaisa added, “Dr Gilbert’s expertise and experience will aid in guiding us on developing innovative, multi-institutional studies, partnering with national centers of excellence and key components of the NCI and NIH through Cooperative Research Development Agreements (CRADAs) and other submissions. This will enable us to do some groundbreaking research to help people.”

About Calidi Biotherapeutics

Calidi Biotherapeutics (NYSE American: CLDI) is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company with proprietary technology designed to arm the immune system to fight cancer. Calidi’s novel stem cell-based platforms are utilizing potent allogeneic stem cells capable of carrying payloads of oncolytic viruses for use in multiple oncology indications, including high-grade gliomas and solid tumors. Calidi’s clinical stage off-the-shelf, universal cell-based delivery platforms are designed to protect, amplify, and potentiate oncolytic viruses leading to enhanced efficacy and improved patient safety. Calidi’s preclinical off-the-shelf enveloped virotherapies are designed to target disseminated solid tumors. This dual approach can potentially treat, or even prevent, metastatic disease. Calidi Biotherapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.calidibio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the “safe harbor” provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terms such as “anticipates,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predicts,” “project,” “should,” “towards,” “would” as well as similar terms, are forward-looking in nature, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning upcoming key milestones (including the reporting of interim clinical results and the dosing of patients), planned clinical trials, and statements relating to the safety and efficacy of Calidi’s therapeutic candidates in development. Any forward-looking statements contained in this discussion are based on Calidi’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects and are subject to multiple risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that Calidi is not able to raise sufficient capital to support its current and anticipated clinical trials, the risk that early results of clinical trials do not necessarily predict final results and that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change following more comprehensive review of the data, and as more patient data becomes available, the risk that Calidi may not receive FDA approval for some or all of its therapeutic candidates. Other risks and uncertainties are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s Registration Statements filed with the SEC on Form S-4 filed on August 2, 2023, on Form S-1 filed on October 6, 2023, on Form S-1 filed on January 29, 2024, as amended on February 7, 2024, on Form 10-K filed on March 15, 2024, and Final Prospectus filed on April 17, 2024.

For Investors and Media:

Stephen Thesing

IR@Calidibio.com