MORRISTOWN, N.J., Aug. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNT), a commercial-stage company focused on the development and commercialization of novel antibiotics to treat serious bacterial infections, today announced changes to its board of directors and executive management team.
David Gill, a current Melinta board member, has been named chairman of the board of directors, effective immediately, succeeding Kevin Ferro, who voluntarily resigned from the position and the board of directors.
John H. Johnson voluntarily resigned from his position as chief executive officer (CEO) due to changes in the Company’s circumstances and in order to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Johnson will serve as acting CEO for at least 30 days to work through the transition, including the search process and appointment of a permanent successor. Mr. Johnson also resigned from his position as director, effective immediately. Additionally, and at the request of the board of directors, Mr. Johnson will remain a strategic advisor to Melinta for at least six months.
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Kevin for his contributions to the Company,” said David Gill, chairman of Melinta. “The Board and I also want to thank John for his dedication and service as a long-standing board member and most recently for his leadership and stepping into the CEO position during a very challenging time for the Company and antibiotics industry as a whole. John made many significant contributions to further advance the Company’s mission to provide life-saving therapeutic solutions that address the evolving global threat of bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance. We look forward to continuing to work closely with John on the process to select a successor and as a strategic advisor during Melinta’s next phase,” Gill added.
“It has been an honor to work with such a talented team that is truly dedicated to providing critical and potentially life-saving antibiotics to patients in need. Since joining Melinta as CEO, the organization has made tremendous strides towards enhancing operational efficiencies, increasing product sales, working with stakeholders to improve the reimbursement landscape, securing a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of October 24, 2019 for the supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to expand the current indication for Baxdela® (delafloxacin) for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), and enrolling more than half of the target study population in a clinical study evaluating a shorter infusion time formulation of Orbactiv® (oritavancin) for the treatment of adult patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI),” said John H. Johnson, chief executive officer of Melinta. “I look forward to working with the board and management team to continue executing against Melinta’s strategy to deliver antibiotics solutions to both patients and providers,” Johnson added.
Mr. Gill joined the Company’s board of directors in April 2012. Mr. Gill served as chief financial officer of EndoChoice Holdings, Inc., a publicly-traded medical device company from August 2014 to November 2016, and as president and chief financial officer from March 2016 to November 2016, when the company was acquired. He served as the chief financial officer of INC Research Holdings Inc. (now known as Syneos), a clinical research organization, from February 2011 to August 2013, after having served as a board member and its audit committee chairman from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Gill currently serves as a director of Evolus, Inc., an aesthetics company, YmAbs Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology company and Strata Skins Sciences, a dermatology company. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gill served in a variety of senior executive leadership roles for several medical device companies, including TramsEnterix, NxStage Medical, CTI Molecular Imaging, Inc., Novoste Corporation and Dornier Medical. Mr. Gill holds a B.S. degree, cum laude, in Accounting from Wake Forest University and an M.B.A. degree, with honors, from Emory University, and was formerly a certified public accountant.
About Melinta Therapeutics
Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. is the largest pure-play antibiotics company, dedicated to saving lives threatened by the global public health crisis of bacterial infections through the development and commercialization of novel antibiotics that provide new therapeutic solutions. Its four marketed products include Baxdela® (delafloxacin), Vabomere® (meropenem and vaborbactam), Orbactiv® (oritavancin), and Minocin® (minocycline) for Injection. This portfolio provides Melinta with the unique ability to provide providers and patients with a range of solutions that can meet the tremendous need for novel antibiotics treating serious infections. Visit www.melinta.com for more information.
