CytoDyn Appoints Jacob Lalezari M.D. as Interim CEO

VANCOUVER, Washington, Nov. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) ("CytoDyn" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company developing leronlimab, a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, today announced the appointment of Dr. Jacob Lalezari as interim CEO, effective November 17, 2023. Dr. Lalezari will be responsible for leading the Company’s corporate and product development, with a focus on short-term clinical development and related fundraising. Antonio Migliarese, who had been serving as interim president since May 2023, in addition to CFO, will resume his previous role as CFO.

Dr. Lalezari brings over 34 years of industry experience and has been a longtime adviser to the Company. He previously served as interim Chief Medical Officer of CytoDyn during 2020, and has been a member of the Company’s scientific advisory board for the past several years. Dr. Lalezari has been the CEO and Medical Director of Quest Clinical Research since 1996, and also served as the Chief Medical Officer of Virion Therapeutics in 2018. Dr. Lalezari has served as Principal Investigator for Phase I, II, and III clinical studies of new therapies for such viral diseases as HIV/AIDS, CMV, HPV, HSV, Hepatitis B and C, influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, including clinical trials conducted by the Company. His work has been published extensively and he is a well-regarded international speaker and patient advocate. Dr. Lalezari received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.A. from the University of Virginia, and his B.A. from the University of Rochester. He also holds a board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Tanya Urbach, Board Chair, commented, “On behalf of the Board, we are thrilled to have Dr. Lalezari step in as our interim CEO while we work to conclude our search for the right CEO candidate to lead the Company for the long-term. Dr. Lalezari is a widely known and respected figure in our industry and brings expertise and experience that directly correlate with the short-term needs of the Company. We anticipate Dr. Lalezari working with us for the next few months while the Company resolves the clinical hold and makes key decisions as it relates to getting back into clinical trials and evaluating strategic partnerships. With his industry relationships and knowledge, we believe Dr. Lalezari is uniquely suited to keep the Company’s clinical strategy and potential partnership initiatives moving.”