SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 12, 1999
Commission File Number 0-23155
TRIMERIS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant)
Delaware 56-1808663
(State of organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
4727 University Drive, Suite 100, Durham, North Carolina 27707
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
(919) 419-6050
(Registrant's telephone Number)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
Trimeris, Inc. incorporates herein by reference the information
contained in the press release filed as Exhibit 99 to this Current Report.
ITEM 7. EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT NO.
99 Press Release by Trimeris, Inc., dated March 12, 1999
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
TRIMERIS, INC.
By: /s/ Matthew A. Megaro
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Matthew A. Megaro
President and Chief Financial Officer
Dated: March 15, 1999
EXHIBIT NO. 99
Contacts:
Trimeris, Inc. Burns McClellan, Inc.
Matthew A. Megaro John Nugent (investors)
Chief Financial Officer Justin Jackson (media)
919-419-6050 212-213-0006
TRIMERIS, INC. ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES
DANI BOLOGNESI APPOINTED CEO, CSO, MATTHEW MEGARO APPOINTED PRESIDENT
DURHAM, NC, MARCH 12, 1999 -- Trimeris, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRMS) announced today the
appointments of company founder and member of the Board of Directors, Dani
Bolognesi, Ph.D., to the posts of chief executive officer and chief scientific
officer, and of Matthew Megaro to the posts of president and chief financial
officer, effective today. Dr. Bolognesi was previously director of the Duke
University Center for AIDS Research, in which capacity he pioneered a new class
of anti-retroviral compounds, known as fusion inhibitors, that constitute the
primary platform technology for Trimeris' anti-infective R&D programs. Former
President and CEO M. Ross Johnson, Ph.D., will step down from his positions to
pursue other interests.
"We're very much in debt to Ross, under whom the company commenced its anti-HIV
clinical trial program and gained initial recognition for innovating what is
essentially a completely new approach to treating this disease," commented Dr.
Bolognesi. "We thank Ross for his efforts and wish him well in his new
endeavors."
"As we see it, our goal is to enhance shareholder value by further advancing
clinical studies of T-20, our lead compound, building our franchise in fusion
inhibitors through earlier-stage R&D programs, and advancing our business plan
through innovative partnering and/or financing," Dr. Bolognesi continued. "We
believe that the company's momentum is clearly in the direction of satisfying
all of our near-term goals."
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TRIMERIS PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT
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Over the past fifteen years Dr. Bolognesi has led one of the largest AIDS
research groups in the Southeastern United States. In that time period Dr.
Bolognesi and his team are credited with several significant advances among
which are 1) contributions to the discovery of the first anti-HIV drug, AZT, 2)
identification of the target in the HIV envelope where fusion inhibitors act,
and 3) establishment of a central laboratory which provides immunological
monitoring of HIV vaccine trials in the United States. Dr. Bolognesi has also
served as vice chairman for research development in the department of surgery at
Duke University (1994 - present), as co-director of Duke's Human Vaccine
Institute (1994 - present), and as deputy director and chief operating officer
of the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center (1981 - 1987). He is one of the leading
figures in the United States on HIV research and has participated in numerous
scientific review boards for the National Institutes of Health, and private
industry. Dr. Bolognesi received his advanced degrees at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute (B.S. and M.S. degree in microbiology) and at Duke University (Ph.D.
degree in virology).
Mr. Megaro has held senior management positions in the life sciences industry
since the early 1980's in the areas of operations, finance and business
development. From 1988 to 1994, Mr. Megaro was Chief Financial Officer and Vice
President, Finance and Administration for Athena Neurosciences, Inc. and was
responsible for various private and public financings. Also, as the senior
financial and administrative executive, he guided key aspects of Athena's
product and technology acquisitions and its establishment of a sales and
marketing operation. From 1984 to 1988, Mr. Megaro was Director of Operations
for Genelabs, responsible for the company's laboratory and manufacturing
facility construction and operations during Genelabs high-growth phase as a
development stage company.
Trimeris is a development stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the
discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents that block viral infection
by inhibiting viral fusion with host cells. The company's lead product
candidate, T-20, which inhibits fusion of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
with host cells, is currently in Phase II clinical trials.
NOTE: Except for any historical information presented herein, matters presented
in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. The results of the company's previous clinical trials are not
necessarily indicative of future clinical trials, and future results could
differ materially from the results presented herein. Factors that could cause or
contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed
in the "Risk Factors" section included in the company's 1997 Form 10-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 1998, and the company's
Registration Statement on Form S-1 as declared effective by the Securities and
Exchange Commission on October 6, 1997, and those discussed from time to time in
Trimeris' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
