CELEBRATION, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NasdaqGS: ZVRA) (Zevra or the Company), a rare disease therapeutics company, today announced the appointment of Alvin Shih, MD, MBA, to the Company’s Board of Directors (Board) effective as of January 20, 2024. Dr. Shih has extensive experience in biotechnology leadership and rare disease therapeutics development and currently serves as President and CEO of Catamaran Bio, a biotechnology company developing cell therapies for multiple oncologic indications.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Shih to our Board as we advance our therapeutic portfolio of product candidates in multiple rare disease indications,” said Tamara A. Favorito, Chair of Zevra’s Board of Directors. “Dr. Shih brings a wealth of leadership expertise across multiple types of rare diseases. His unique skills as an experienced drug developer and physician position him to be an invaluable asset to the Board and for shareholders.”

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve on the Zevra Board of Directors at a time when the Company is poised to have a profound impact on addressing unmet clinical needs within the rare disease community,” said Dr. Shih. “My long-time focus in therapeutics development and biotechnology leadership fits well with Zevra’s mission to bring life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases. I look forward to working together with the Board and management team to guide an advancing portfolio and growth capabilities with the potential to make a difference for those we serve.”

Dr. Shih has broad experience in drug development, spanning multiple therapeutic areas and with a focus on rare diseases, including as the former Chief Operating Officer and a founding member of Pfizer’s Rare Disease Research Unit. Prior to his current role as President and CEO of Catamaran Therapeutics, he was CEO at Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that developed therapeutics for both rare and prevalent neurodegenerative diseases until its acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2020. Before that, Dr. Shih was CEO at Enzyvant Therapeutics, where he led the company’s cell/tissue-based therapy development for treating a rare immunologic disease. He also was the Executive Vice President and Head of Research and Development at Retrophin, Inc., where he worked on therapies for multiple rare disease indications. Dr. Shih previously worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and L.E.K. Consulting, LLC. He earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Shih received his MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and his BA degree from Vanderbilt University.

About Zevra Therapeutics

Zevra Therapeutics is a rare disease company melding science, data, and patient needs to create transformational therapies for diseases with limited or no treatment options. Our mission is to bring life-changing therapeutics to people living with rare diseases. With unique, data-driven development and commercialization strategies, the Company is overcoming complex drug development challenges to make new therapies available to the rare disease community. 

Expanded access programs are made available by Zevra Therapeutics and its affiliates and are subject to the Company's Expanded Access Program (EAP) policy as published on its website at www.zevra.com. Participation in these programs is subject to the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction under which each respective program is operated. Eligibility for participation in any such program is at the treating physician's discretion. 

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and which can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "potential," "should," "continue," "could," "intend," "target," "predict," or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements include without limitation statements regarding Zevra’s strategic and product development objectives, including with respect to becoming a leading rare disease company and addressing unmet clinical needs, and Zevra’s plans, goals and expectations concerning market position, future operations and other financial and operating information. Forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Zevra and its current plans or expectations, and are subject to several known and unknown uncertainties, risks, and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These and other important factors are described in detail in the “Risk Factors” section of Zevra’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as updated in Zevra’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, and Zevra’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While Zevra may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law, even if subsequent events cause their respective views to change. Although Zevra believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will prove correct. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Zevra’s views as of any date after the date of this press release.  

Zevra Contacts: 

Nichol Ochsner 
+1 (732) 754-2545 
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Russo Partners Contacts: 

David Schull  
+1 (858) 717-2310 
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Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D. 
+1 (646) 942-5604 
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