8-K: Tharimmune Appoints Philanthropist Nancy Davis to Board

Tharimmune, Inc. announced the appointment of Nancy Davis, founder of Race to Erase MS and Cure Addiction Now, to its Board of Directors, effective August 4, 2025.

Summary

• Tharimmune, Inc. appointed Nancy Davis as a member of its Board of Directors, effective August 4, 2025.
• Ms. Davis is a globally recognized philanthropist and the visionary founder of the Race to Erase MS and Cure Addiction Now foundations.
• Her appointment is expected to bring deep-seated patient advocacy, strategic fundraising, and a profound commitment to accelerating scientific discovery in areas of critical unmet medical need.
• Ms. Davis's annual compensation will be consistent with that provided to the company's other non-employee directors.
• Her personal journey with multiple sclerosis, diagnosed in 1991, led her to establish Race to Erase MS in 1993, which has since raised over $56 million.
• Race to Erase MS has funded groundbreaking research through its 'Center Without Walls' program, contributing to the development of FDA-approved B-Cell therapies for MS.
• Ms. Davis co-founded Cure Addiction Now (CAN) to fund cutting-edge, collaborative research for substance use disorder (SUD), aligning with Tharimmune's TH104 development for the opioid crisis.
• The company's lead investigational product, TH104, is being developed to counter the effects of weaponized fentanyl for military and chemical incident responders, with potential broader applications for the opioid crisis.

Sentiment

Score: 8

Explanation: The appointment of a highly respected and impactful patient advocate and fundraiser like Nancy Davis to the Board of Directors is a significant positive development, enhancing the company's strategic direction, patient focus, and potentially its public image and fundraising capabilities. Her expertise directly aligns with key pipeline assets like TH104.

Positives

• Appointment of Nancy Davis, a highly respected philanthropist and patient advocate, significantly strengthens the Board of Directors.
• Ms. Davis brings unparalleled experience in patient advocacy, strategic fundraising, and fostering collaborative scientific research, directly aligning with Tharimmune's mission.
• Her leadership at Race to Erase MS has raised over $56 million and directly contributed to the development of FDA-approved therapies, demonstrating a proven track record of impact.
• Her personal experience with MS and co-founding of Cure Addiction Now provides a unique and powerful patient-centric perspective, particularly valuable for the development of TH104 for addiction.
• The addition of Ms. Davis enhances the company's focus on critical unmet medical needs and patient-centered innovation.

Risks

• Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed.
• Factors that may cause such differences include those discussed under 'Risk Factors' in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other periodic reports filed with the SEC.

Future Outlook

The company continues to develop innovative, life-saving therapies, including its lead investigational product TH104, which is being developed for respiratory and/or nervous system depression in military personnel and chemical incident responders exposed to high-potency opioids, with potential broader applications for the opioid crisis. The expanded pipeline includes other indications for TH104, such as chronic pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis, and TH023 for autoimmune diseases, along with an early-stage multispecific biologic platform targeting solid tumors.

Management Comments

• "Nancy's extraordinary dedication to advancing medical research, coupled with her unique and powerful perspective as both a patient advocate and a formidable force for scientific collaboration, is absolutely invaluable as we continue to develop innovative, life-saving therapies." Vincent LoPriore, Executive Chairman of the Board of Director.
• "Her vision aligns perfectly with our mission to bring life-changing solutions to patients, especially as we advance our investigational product, TH104." Vincent LoPriore.
• "I am thrilled and deeply motivated to join the Board of Directors at Tharimmune and contribute to their ongoing, exciting work." Nancy Davis.
• "Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand the profound power of focused, collaborative scientific endeavor to bring about real, tangible change for patients." Nancy Davis.
• "My personal experiences with the devastating impact of addiction have only strengthened my resolve to support truly innovative solutions and I eagerly look forward to contributing my insights and advocacy to help accelerate the development and potential broader impact of this solution and other transformative therapies." Nancy Davis.

Industry Context

The appointment of a prominent patient advocate and fundraiser like Nancy Davis highlights a growing trend in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries to integrate patient perspectives directly into corporate governance and strategic development. This move can enhance a company's focus on unmet medical needs, improve clinical trial design, and strengthen public relations, particularly for companies developing therapies for complex diseases like addiction and autoimmune disorders. Her background in fostering collaborative research (Center Without Walls) also aligns with modern drug discovery models that emphasize inter-institutional cooperation.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• Nancy Davis's 'Center Without Walls' program, which fosters collaboration among leading institutions (UC San Francisco, Harvard, Yale, USC, Johns Hopkins, UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Oregon Health Sciences University), is a pioneering initiative that has directly led to the development of FDA-approved B-Cell therapies like Ocrevus, Briumvi, and Kesimpta, setting a high standard for collaborative medical research funding.
• Her success in raising over $56 million for MS research through Race to Erase MS demonstrates a fundraising capability that exceeds many non-profit organizations and can be compared to significant philanthropic efforts supporting specific disease areas.
• The appointment of a patient advocate with direct experience in a disease area (MS, addiction) to a biotech board is a strong practice, aligning with best-in-class corporate governance that prioritizes patient-centric drug development, similar to how companies like Vertex Pharmaceuticals or Sarepta Therapeutics might engage patient communities.

Management Changes

Corporate Governance

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Positive impact due to enhanced corporate governance, strategic direction, and potential for improved patient-centric drug development, which could lead to better long-term value.
• Patients: Highly positive impact as Ms. Davis's appointment emphasizes patient advocacy and accelerates the development of therapies for critical unmet medical needs, particularly in areas like addiction and autoimmune diseases.
• Employees: Potential positive impact through a clearer strategic vision and a reinforced mission focused on patient needs.

Next Steps

• Continue development of investigational product TH104 for respiratory/nervous system depression from high-potency opioids and potential broader applications in the opioid crisis.
• Advance other pipeline indications for TH104, such as chronic pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis.
• Develop TH023 for autoimmune diseases.
• Further develop the early-stage multispecific biologic platform targeting solid tumors through its proprietary EpiClick® Technology.
• Nancy Davis will serve on the Board for a term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The appointment of Nancy Davis to the Board of Directors is a significant positive development, bringing invaluable expertise in patient advocacy, fundraising, and collaborative research. This strengthens the company's strategic direction and commitment to addressing unmet medical needs, particularly with its TH104 program. However, as this filing does not contain financial performance data or new clinical trial results, a 'hold' recommendation is appropriate, acknowledging the positive governance enhancement while awaiting further operational and financial updates.

Keywords

Tharimmune, THAR, Biotechnology, Board of Directors, Nancy Davis, Race to Erase MS, Cure Addiction Now, Patient Advocacy, Drug Development, TH104, Opioid Crisis, Multiple Sclerosis, Addiction Treatment, Clinical Stage