Qpex Biopharma, Inc., a Shionogi Group Company (hereafter “Qpex”), announced that Gareth Morgan, MS, MBA, most recently Senior Vice President and Global Head of Portfolio Management and AMR Policy at Shionogi Inc., has been appointed President of Qpex. Morgan succeeds Michael Dudley, Pharm.D., who has retired and stepped down from his role as President and CEO. Dr. Dudley will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to Qpex and Shionogi.

Shionogi Inc., a U.S.-based subsidiary of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., acquired Qpex in 2023. The acquisition brought Qpex’s expertise in antibiotic R&D along with its novel, internally discovered pipeline, including an investigational beta-lactamase inhibitor, to Shionogi, expanding the company’s anti-infective pipeline and further augmenting its R&D capabilities and expertise.

“I am honored to have led Qpex from its founding to becoming a Shionogi Group Company. Together we have expanded U.S.-based antibiotic R&D and are becoming true global leaders in anti-infective innovation,” said Dr. Dudley. “I have had the opportunity to work closely with Gareth and am confident that his deep expertise in anti-infectives and tenure within Shionogi have prepared him to lead the teams advancing our pipeline programs. Additionally, his ability to establish strategic alliances, particularly with governments and global organizations, will be critical to bringing Qpex to the next level.”

Prior to joining Shionogi in 2007, Morgan held clinical development and project management roles at large pharmaceutical companies, where he oversaw teams focusing on global and domestic registrational studies across multiple therapeutic areas. During his tenure at Shionogi, Morgan has been instrumental in the company’s global siderophore cephalosporin discovery program. He has led efforts to establish several important public-private partnerships and led the establishment of a landmark license and technology transfer agreement with the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and a collaboration agreement with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) that aim to transform access to antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries.

“Mike is a visionary leader and his work to bring Qpex from a startup to a fully functional discovery organization is commendable,” said Morgan. “While Mike is leaving his position, his entrepreneurial spirit will remain embedded into the fabric of the organization, and we will continue to benefit from his decades of experience in drug discovery. Mike has set us up for great success and I am honored to work alongside the talented team at Qpex in my new role.”

About Qpex Biopharma, Inc., a Shionogi Group Company

Qpex Biopharma, Inc., a Shionogi Group Company, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient care across inpatient and outpatient settings. With a robust portfolio of potential best-in-class, clinical-stage products, the company’s lead program is based on xeruborbactam, an investigational beta-lactamase inhibitor discovered by Qpex scientists. The Company recently opened a new drug discovery laboratory in San Diego that will serve to expand Shionogi’s R&D capabilities and partnerships in the U.S. Learn more about the new laboratory here.

About Shionogi & Co. Ltd.

Shionogi & Co., Ltd. is a 146-year-old global, research-driven pharmaceutical company headquartered in Osaka, Japan, that is dedicated to bringing benefits to patients based on its corporate philosophy of “supplying the best possible medicine to protect the health and wellbeing of the patients we serve.” The company currently markets products in several therapeutic areas including anti-infectives, pain, CNS disorders, cardiovascular diseases and gastroenterology. Shionogi’s research and development currently target two therapeutic areas: infectious diseases and pain/CNS disorders. For more information on Shionogi & Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.shionogi.com/global/en.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations in light of the information currently available, assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. Risks and uncertainties include general domestic and international economic conditions such as general industry and market conditions, and changes of interest rate and currency exchange rate. These risks and uncertainties particularly apply with respect to product-related forward-looking statements. Product risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, completion and discontinuation of clinical trials; obtaining regulatory approvals; claims and concerns about product safety and efficacy; technological advances; adverse outcome of important litigation; domestic and foreign healthcare reforms and changes of laws and regulations. Also for existing products, there are manufacturing and marketing risks, which include, but are not limited to, inability to build production capacity to meet demand, lack of availability of raw materials and entry of competitive products. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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