Secarna Pharmaceuticals adds leading expert to Scientific Advisory Board with appointment of Prof. Dr. Vignali

Secarna Pharmaceuticals adds leading expert to Scientific Advisory Board with appointment of Prof. Dr. Vignali

• Prof. Dr. Dario A.A. Vignali brings vast knowledge from groundbreaking cancer research work in immune regulation and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment 
• His expertise in the field of immuno-oncology and in particular NRP1, the target of Secarna’s lead asset, SECN-15, will help translate the Company’s scientific discoveries into significant clinical strategies
• Prof. Vignali joins current SAB members Prof. Dr. Alexander M.M. Eggermont and Prof. Dr. Alfred Zippelius, both cancer research key opinion leaders 

Martinsried (Munich), Germany, April 28, 2025 - Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG, a company redefining the discovery and development of best-in-class oligonucleotide therapeutics, announced today that Prof. Dr. Dario A.A. Vignali has joined the Company’s oncology-focused Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

Prof. Vignali is Chair and Distinguished Professor of Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he also holds the Frank Dixon Chair in Cancer Immunology and serves as Associate Director for Scientific Strategy at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. His research focuses on negative immune regulation, including Tregs, inhibitory receptors, and cytokines. Prof. Vignali is credited with key discoveries, including PD-1, IL-35, and the NRP1:SEMA4A axis, and has done extensive work in the NRP1 field. Prof. Vignali has authored nearly 250 publications and holds 15 patents. He has co-founded multiple biotech companies including Potenza Therapeutics, which developed an NRP1-specific antibody and other programs and was acquired by Astellas in 2018 for up to $404.7 million.

“We really are excited to welcome Prof. Vignali to our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Konstantin Petropoulos, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Secarna Pharmaceuticals. “Prof. Vignali brings tremendous expertise in immune regulation and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. His groundbreaking work on regulatory T cells, inhibitory receptors such as PD-1 and pathways involving NRP1 aligns well with SECN-15, our lead program. His insights will be invaluable to the development of SECN-15 as a potential treatment option for patients with solid tumors.”

“I’m pleased to join Secarna’s Scientific Advisory Board and contribute to the advancement of their innovative antisense oligonucleotide platform,” said Prof. Dr. Dario A.A. Vignali. “Secarna’s approach to targeting immune regulatory pathways to treat cancer offers exciting opportunities to develop new, mechanism-based therapeutics. I look forward to supporting the team as they continue to translate their scientific discoveries into significant clinical strategies.”

Secarna’s SAB brings together leading experts in oncology research and drug development to provide strategic guidance on the Company’s research and development efforts, particularly related to its lead candidate, SECN-15, a potential first-in-class therapeutic antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting Neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a protein involved in various tumor-promoting functions. Prof. Dr. Dario A.A. Vignali joins a distinguished group of advisors, including Prof. Dr. Alexander M.M. Eggermont (University Medical Center Utrecht, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Munich) and Prof. Dr. Alfred Zippelius (University of Basel, and University Hospital Basel), further strengthening the board’s collective expertise in translational oncology and medicine.

About Secarna Pharmaceuticals

Secarna Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company redefining the discovery and development of best-in-class oligonucleotide therapeutics, offering hope to patients facing conditions that are beyond the reach of current approaches and modalities. With the Company’s proprietary AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform, which includes multiple delivery technologies, Secarna identifies and characterizes oligonucleotide therapeutics with unparalleled speed and excellent safety and efficacy. By delivering these novel therapeutics to the cells, organs, or tissues where they are needed, targeted oligonucleotide therapies have the potential to revolutionize treatments for a wide range of difficult-to-treat disorders. Secarna’s unique ‘OligoCreator®’ platform is leveraged to transform untreatable conditions into treatable ones, profoundly changing the future of medicine. www.secarna.com

Contact
Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG
Am Klopferspitz 19
82152 Planegg/Martinsried · Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)89 215 46 375

Konstantin Petropoulos, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
info@secarna.com
Secarna Pharmaceuticals

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