MORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novan, Inc. (“the Company” or “Novan”) (NASDAQ:NOVN) today announced the appointment of Machelle Sanders to the Company’s Board of Directors. Ms. Sanders is a former biopharmaceutical executive with extensive experience in quality, manufacturing and operations. She is currently Secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration and, prior to her appointment as Secretary earlier this year, she served in several positions at Biogen including as vice president of manufacturing and general manager. In this role, Ms. Sanders led Biogen’s Research Triangle Park operations, the company’s largest manufacturing facility worldwide.    

“Machelle has a proven track record of operational excellence and biopharmaceutical manufacturing under the FDA’s quality standards that is directly relevant to Novan and its unique manufacturing capability,” said Robert Ingram, Executive Chairman of Novan’s Board of Directors. “Machelle’s expertise and success in quality and manufacturing for multiple life science companies, coupled with last month’s addition of Paula Brown Stafford, complements and expands the breadth of our Board in targeted areas.  I am grateful that Machelle has agreed to join us.”

About Machelle Sanders

Machelle Sanders is a seasoned executive with over 29 years of progressive pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience. Ms. Sanders is Secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration, appointed by Governor Roy Cooper. As Administration Secretary, Ms. Sanders oversees the state agency whose mission is to provide high-quality services effectively, efficiently and economically to its customers: the citizens, agencies and communities of North Carolina. She provides leadership for staff support to several councils and commissions which advocate for the special needs of North Carolina’s citizens.

In the private sector, Ms. Sanders was most recently responsible for the pharmaceutical operations and technology operational strategy for Biogen’s multiple sclerosis (MS) franchise (i.e. AVONEX™, PLEGRIDY™, TECFIDERA™, and TYSABRI™). She held the title of vice president of manufacturing and general manager of the company’s largest and most advanced manufacturing facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Ms. Sanders has also held leadership positions in manufacturing, global quality assurance and quality control at Biogen, Purdue Pharmaceuticals, and Diosynth-Akzo Nobel. She holds a bachelor of science degree in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University and a masters of health administration (MHA) from Pfeiffer University.

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About Novan

Novan, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on redefining the standard of care in dermatology through the development and commercialization of innovative therapies using the Company’s nitric oxide-releasing platform. Nitric oxide plays a vital role in the natural immune system response against microbial pathogens and is a critical regulator of inflammation. Our ability to harness nitric oxide and its multiple mechanisms of action has enabled us to create a platform with the potential to generate differentiated, first-in-class product candidates. We have advanced programs with four product candidates for dermatological conditions with significant unmet medical need.  We believe that our ability to conveniently deploy nitric oxide on demand in topical formulations allows us the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes in a variety of skin diseases.  

For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.Novan.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements related to pharmaceutical development of nitric oxide-releasing product candidates, our potential financing opportunities and partners, as well as our expected uses of cash and cost-savings initiatives, and the future prospects of our business, including management succession, operating activities and our product candidates. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations, including, but not limited to, uncertainties and risks in the clinical development process, including specifically with respect to SB204 and the uncertainties regarding the FDA approval requirements, whether an additional study would be successful or additional requirements are imposed which we may be unable to meet and other clinical development process risk including, among others, length, expense, ability to enroll patients, reliance on third parties, and that results of earlier research and preclinical or clinical trials may not be predictive of results, conclusions or interpretations of later research or trials; the lengthy and unpredictable nature of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug approval process; whether we will be able to enter into strategic arrangements or obtain adequate funding to support our operations and initiatives on acceptable terms, or at all; our ability to implement and realize anticipated benefits from any adjustments to our business, including headcount reductions and other cost-saving measures; our ability to modify, streamline or reposition our manufacturing infrastructure and associated capabilities on financial and operational terms that are acceptable; the ability to attract and retain senior management and key employees and other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on Form 10-K for the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2016, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Novan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law.
             
CONTACT:

(Investors)
Novan, Inc.
919-627-6847
investors@novan.com

(Media)
Deb Holliday
Pascale Communications, LLC
412-877-4519
deb@pascalecommunications.com

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