Synthetic Biologics, Inc. announced the strengthening of its oncology leadership team with the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) composed of key opinion leaders in oncolytic viruses and gene therapies. The SAB will work cohesively with the Synthetic Biologics' leadership team to support the Company's transformative clinical development strategy and extension into oncology. Chair: Ramon Alemany, Ph.D., is Head of the Immunotherapy and Virotherapy Group at the Translational Research Laboratory of the Institut Catala d'Oncologia (ICO) and Institut de Investigacio Biomedica de Bellvitage (IDIBELL).

Dr. Alemany is a co-founder of VCN Biosciences and is an internationally recognized expert in oncolytic adenoviruses for cancer treatment. He has held various research positions across leading academic institutions, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baxter Healthcare Group and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Alemany earned both his Ph.D., and B.S., from the University of Barcelona.

Member: Mark S. Blumenkranz, M.D., MMS, is HJ Smead Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University. Dr. Blumenkranz was an early innovator in vitrectomy techniques to treat complex forms of retinal detachment and helped to usher in the modern era of intravitreal and surgical adjuvant drug therapy. He has served on the Editorial Boards of The American Journal of Ophthalmology, Retina, Ophthalmology, and Graefe's Archives for Ophthalmology.

Dr. Blumenkranz earned his M.D., from Brown University. Member: Ennio Antonio Chiocca, M.D., Ph.D., is Harvey W. Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School, Neurosurgeon-in-Chief and Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery and Co-Director, Institute for the Neurosciences at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital. He is also the Surgical Director, Center for Neuro-oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

His research focuses on developing novel genetic and immunotherapeutic approaches for malignant brain tumors, with a particular interest in engineering viruses that can kill tumor cells without affecting normal brain cells. Dr. Chiocca earned his M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Member: Daniel DiMaio, M.D., Ph.D., is the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Genetics and Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, and of Therapeutic Radiology at Yale School of Medicine, as well as a Senior Advisor to the Director, Yale Cancer Center.

Dr. DiMaio brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge and experience in the fields of human genetics, tumor virology, and cancer research. Dr. DiMaio earned his Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and his B.S., from Yale University.