Renowned scientist and serial entrepreneur Jeff Karp, Ph.D., brings deep research experience and industry knowledge that will help guide Eterna as it advances its mRNA cell engineering platform

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eterna Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ERNA) (“Eterna” or the “Company”), a life science company committed to realizing the potential of mRNA cell engineering to provide patients with transformational new medicines, today announced the appointment of Jeff Karp, Ph.D. to Eterna’s Scientific Advisory Board.

Matt Angel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Eterna, commented, “Jeff is a world-class expert in drug delivery and cell therapeutics with a successful track record as an entrepreneur whose innovations have spurred numerous biomedical products and companies. We are honored to welcome him to Eterna’s Scientific Advisory Board as we advance toward our goal of becoming a central resource of technology, expertise, and intellectual property to support the development of next-generation mRNA-based therapeutic products.”

Jeff Karp, Ph.D., added, “mRNA cell engineering has the potential to make a significant impact across many therapeutic areas and has been an active area of my research for over a decade. I look forward to joining this experienced advisory board and sharing insights with the management team as they work to develop and deploy this powerful platform.”

Dr. Karp is the Distinguished Chair in Clinical Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He is also a principal faculty member at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and an affiliate faculty member at the Broad Institute and at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Dr. Karp was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, Royal Society of Chemistry, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows, Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He has published over 125 peer-reviewed papers with more than 30,000 citations. Several technologies developed in his lab have led to multiple products currently in development or on the market, and to the launch of ten companies. Dr. Karp has received more than 50 awards and honors. Most recently, he received the Clemson Award for Applied Research, the highest award for innovation from the Society for Biomaterials. Boston Magazine recognized Dr. Karp as one of 11 Boston Doctors Making Medical Breakthroughs and the Boston Business Journal recognized him as a Champion in Healthcare Innovation. MIT Technology Review magazine also recognized Dr. Karp as being one of the top innovators in the world in its “TR35” list, and three members from his laboratory have subsequently received this award. His work has been selected by Popular Mechanics as one of the Top 20 New Biotech Breakthroughs that Will Change Medicine.

About Eterna Therapeutics
Eterna Therapeutics is a life science company committed to realizing the potential of mRNA cell engineering to provide patients with transformational new medicines. Eterna has in-licensed a portfolio of over 100 patents covering key mRNA cell engineering technologies, including technologies for mRNA cell reprogramming, mRNA gene editing, the NoveSlice™ and UltraSlice™ gene-editing proteins, and the ToRNAdo™ mRNA delivery system from Factor Bioscience. NoveSlice™, UltraSlice™, and ToRNAdo™ are trademarks of Factor Bioscience. For more information, please visit www.eternatx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are any statements that are not statements of historical fact and may be identified by terminology such as “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “project,” “will” or other similar words and the negatives of such words. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, uncertainties related to: (i) the evolution of Eterna’s business model into a platform company focused on mRNA, iPS cell and gene editing technologies; (ii) Eterna’s ability to successfully, cost-effectively and efficiently develop its technology and products; (iii) Eterna’s ability to successfully commence clinical trials of any products on a timely basis or at all; (iv) Eterna’s ability to successfully fund and manage the growth of its development activities; and (v) Eterna ’s ability to obtain regulatory approvals of its products for commercialization. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in this communication speak only as of the date on which they were made, and Eterna does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law. Factors that may cause Eterna’s actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements contained in this press release are more fully disclosed in Eterna’s periodic public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly under the heading “Risk Factors” in Eterna’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as well as under similar headings in Eterna’s subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

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Source: Eterna Therapeutics Inc.