ROCKVILLE, Md., June 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVAX) announced today the appointment of Timothy J. Hahn, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. Dr. Hahn will oversee production of the company's vaccines and vaccine candidates and be responsible for all manufacturing operations at its pilot and commercial launch facility in Rockville, MD. He will report to Novavax's President and CEO Stanley Erck.
Mr. Erck stated: "Tim is a very talented manufacturing executive who brings to Novavax extraordinary experience in vaccine development, production and distribution. We look forward to applying his unique expertise to our proprietary vaccine production methods as we and our international partners work toward regulatory approval and launch of our vaccine candidates to prevent the spread of influenza and other infectious diseases worldwide."
Dr. Hahn commented: "I am honored to join Novavax and lead its manufacturing team. Virus-like particles represent an important innovation in the development and delivery of effective vaccines, and I look forward to advancing this technology and Novavax's manufacturing network so that we can deliver our vaccines wherever they are needed."
Prior to joining Novavax, Dr. Hahn was Vice President of Antibody Manufacturing and later Vice President of Vaccine Manufacturing at MedImmune, LLC. In these roles and as a member of the operations manufacturing team, Dr. Hahn oversaw MedImmune's U.S. manufacturing sites in Frederick, MD and Philadelphia, PA and non-U.S. sites in Nijmegen, The Netherlands and Speke, UK with responsibility for bulk and fill production of commercial antibody and vaccine products as well as fill manufacturing of clinical trial materials. Dr. Hahn also coordinated the management of the integrated production processes for the seasonal production of Synagis® and FluMist®. As part of the leadership team for the start-up of a new antibody manufacturing facility in Frederick, MD, Dr. Hahn was responsible for the process validation and start-up strategy and execution for the project, which was recognized as the 2011 ISPE Facility of the Year Award Winner for Project Execution.
Previously, Dr. Hahn spent more than 15 years in vaccine manufacturing with Merck & Co. He received his doctorate and Master of Science degrees in chemical engineering from Stanford University and his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh University.
About Novavax
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVAX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, employs its cutting-edge technology to create next-generation vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases, such as pandemic and seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The company's proprietary virus-like-particle (VLP) technology and single-use bioprocessing system enable rapid vaccine development and production where and when they are needed, worldwide. The company has formed a joint venture with Cadila Pharmaceuticals, named CPL Biologicals, to develop and manufacture vaccines, biological therapeutics and diagnostics in India. Additional information about Novavax is available on the company's website: www.novavax.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax and its ongoing development of its VLP vaccine products are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Novavax Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.