Eterna Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Dr. Elena Ratner to Board of Directors
World-renowned researcher brings expertise in obstetrics and gynecology from Yale University to advance Eterna’s lead indication in ovarian cancer
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eterna Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ERNA), a leader in cell therapies for the treatment of advanced solid tumors, today announced the appointment of Elena Ratner, M.D., M.B.A, to the Board of Directors.
Dr. Ratner will spearhead the strategic direction of Eterna’s efforts to combat ovarian cancer, leveraging her extensive expertise in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences. Under her leadership, the company aims to accelerate advancements in innovative therapies targeting these high-priority areas in women’s health. This direction is bolstered by Eterna’s recent collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center. Announced last month, the partnership underscores Eterna’s commitment to groundbreaking research in women’s health, focusing on the development of novel approaches to improve outcomes for patients affected by ovarian and breast cancers.
“I’m excited to join Eterna and contribute my passion for fighting ovarian cancer to the company’s inspiring mission,” said Dr. Ratner. “Treating ovarian cancer is extremely challenging, as it is often resistant to treatment and has a high rate of recurrence. Eterna’s scientific data has been very impressive and shows a lot of promise. I’m eager to work closely with the team to advance ERNA-101 in ovarian cancer.”
ERNA-101 is a cell therapy that enhances the immune system’s response against tumors, improving immune cell infiltration and activation.
“Dr. Ratner is widely recognized as a trailblazer in ovarian cancer research and treatment, with a reputation for groundbreaking contributions that have advanced the field,” said James Bristol, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board at Eterna Therapeutics. “Her unparalleled expertise and strategic insights will be invaluable as we continue to drive innovation and deliver transformative solutions for patients.”
Dr. Ratner serves as a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University School of Medicine. She is involved in many research initiatives to develop new targeted drugs for ovarian cancer, as well as research on reversing chemotherapy resistance in ovarian and uterine cancers. She also serves as the Director of the Discovery to Cure Early Ovarian Cancer Detection program. She is the recipient of many awards, including the 2024 David and Cindy Leffell Clinical Excellence Award and the 2015 Yale Cancer Center Award for Clinical Excellence.
About Eterna Therapeutics
Eterna Therapeutics is a publicly traded, preclinical-stage company focused on developing highly innovative, effective, safe off-the-shelf synthetic iMSC therapies. Eterna’s lead product ERNA-101 is an allogeneic pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-7/IL-15)-secreting iMSC. ERNA-101 capitalizes on the intrinsic tumor-homing and infiltration ability of MSCs to slip through the tumor’s defenses and to deliver potent pro-inflammatory factors directly to the tumor microenvironment (TME), limiting systemic exposure and potential toxicity while unleashing potent anti-cancer immune responses including enhancement of T-cell anti-tumor activity. The company’s initial focus is to develop ERNA-101 in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC). The company is also investigating ERNA-102, anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10)-secreting iMSCs in inflammatory/auto-immune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. The company is actively seeking strategic partnerships to co-develop or out-license therapeutic assets and engage with potential collaborators to expand developmental opportunities. For more information, please visit https://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, in some cases, can be identified by terms such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “design,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “should,” “would,” “contemplate,” “project,” “target,” “objective,” or the negative version of these words and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Eterna’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: progress and possible outcomes of the Company’s lead research project, ERNA-101, and future research projects. Forward-looking statements are based upon Eterna’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. For a detailed description of Eterna’s risks and uncertainties, you are encouraged to review its documents filed with the SEC including its recent filings on Form 8-K, Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. 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.
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