DiaMedica Announces Dr. Nancy Chang to its Strategic Advisory Board

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA--(Marketwired - April 25, 2017) - DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:DMA)(OTCQB:DMCAF) is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Nancy Chang to its Strategic Advisory Board to support the Company's development of its lead product, DM199. Dr. Chang brings more than 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, successfully developing and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products. She is the co-founder of Tanox, Inc., a biotechnology company known for the development of Xolairâ, the breakthrough drug which changed the treatment model for allergy-induced asthma. Dr. Chang served as President and CEO of Tanox until its acquisition in 2007 by Genentech for US$919 million.

"We are delighted to have attracted such an accomplished research scientist, businesswoman, and philanthropist as Dr. Chang to add to the quality and depth as a Strategic Advisory Board member," said Rick Pauls, DiaMedica's President and CEO. "We believe the combination of Dr. Chang's scientific experience in developing best-in-breed products for significant unmet medical needs in treating major human neurological and endocrine diseases and her business acumen in the U.S., European, and Asian biopharmaceutical industry will bring a unique perspective to our clinical development program, as well as licensing and partnership opportunities."

About Dr. Nancy Chang

Dr. Nancy Chang is the co-founder of Tanox, Inc., a Houston-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics to address major unmet medical needs in the areas of asthma, allergy, inflammation, aged macular degeneration and other diseases affecting the human immune system. She served the roles of President, CEO, and Chairman until its acquisition in 2007 by Genentech. Prior to Tanox, Dr. Chang held several leadership positions at Centocor, now a division of Johnson & Johnson, where she conducted pioneering work in the field of HIV/AIDS research and was instrumental in developing the first diagnostic assay to detect HIV infection. Dr. Chang received her PH.D. in biological chemistry from Harvard University and conducted her post-doctoral research at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology.