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AzurRx BioPharma Announces Appointment of James Sapirstein as Chief Executive OfficerNEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AzurRx BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:AZRX) (“AzurRx” or the “Company”), a company specializing in the development of non-systemic, recombinant therapies for gastrointestinal diseases, is pleased to announce that James Sapirstein has been appointed to serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of Thijs Spoor from the same positions. Mr. Sapirstein, who most recently served as chief executive officer and board member for ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now known as Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASADQ: HEPA)), has nearly 36 years of pharmaceutical industry experience spanning areas such as drug development and commercialization. In particular, Mr. Sapirstein has participated in 23 product launches, six of which were global launches that he led. He is also credited with leading numerous business development transactions over the course of his career. Prior to ContraVir, Mr. Sapirstein was chief executive officer of Alliqua Therapeutics, served as the founding chief executive officer of Tobira Therapeutics, and as executive vice president, metabolic and endocrinology for Serono Laboratories. Mr. Sapirstein’s earlier career included a number of senior level positions in the area of marketing and commercialization, including global marketing team lead for Viread (tenofovir) while at Gilead Sciences and director of international marketing of the infectious disease division at Bristol Myers Squibb. Mr. Sapirstein serves on the emerging companies and health section boards of Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and is currently the Chairman Emeritus of BioNJ. Mr. Sapirstein earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Rutgers University and holds an MBA degree in management from Fairleigh Dickinson University. "We are very pleased that James Sapirstein is joining AzurRx as Chief Executive Officer," commented Ed Borkowski, the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors. "His industry knowledge, background, and strong relationships are an ideal mix of skills to lead AzurRx, and his insights, leadership and experience will provide a significant benefit to the Company. We would also like to thank Thijs Spoor for his previous hard work in taking the Company through several clinical trials and building a world class development team and give him best wishes for the future." Mr. Spoor will remain on AzurRx's Board of Directors. “Over the past five years, AzurRx has made great strides, having generated key clinical data that have advanced MS 1819-SD as a safe and efficacious product candidate for patients,” stated Thijs Spoor. “I am confident that James’s unique skill set will be critical to realizing the value inherent to the Company’s pipeline and I look forward to working with him as a fellow board member.” James Sapirstein commented, "I am pleased to join AzurRx as President and CEO at this exciting time. The ransformative nature of AzurRx’s products, backed by the strong data from its two recent Phase 2 clinical trials of MS1819 are well positioned to create meaningful benefits for patients and shareholders." AzurRx BioPharma, Inc. |