MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviron (Nasdaq: AVIR) today
announced that J. Leighton Read, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Aviron, has been
named Northern California Life Sciences Entrepreneur of the Year. This
prestigious award was presented to Dr. Read on June 26, as part of the
National Entrepreneur of the Year awards program founded by the professional
services firm of Ernst & Young. The program honors and recognizes life
science and other entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and
extraordinary success in such areas as innovations, financial performance and
personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
"Entrepreneurship is a team sport, so this award recognizes the many
people of Aviron whose hard work has contributed to our success," said Dr.
Read. "I am proud to be part of the Aviron team and to receive this award on
their behalf," said J. Leighton Read, M.D., chairman and chief executive
officer.
An independent panel of judges selected the Northern California award
recipients from 80 nominations obtained from the regional business community.
As a recipient of the 1998 award, Dr. Read is now eligible for the National
Entrepreneur of the Year award, which will be decided in November.
Aviron is a biopharmaceutical company based in Mountain View, CA, whose
strategy is to focus on the prevention of disease. The company's goal is to
develop vaccines to prevent a wide range of infections that affect the general
population, providing a cost-effective means of addressing a number of major
diseases. The majority of Aviron's the company's products under development
are live vaccines against viral infections, including influenza, parainfluenza
(PIV-3), cytomegalovirus (CMV), genital herpes (HSV-2) and respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV). Aviron is also developing -- in collaboration with
SmithKline Beecham Biologicals -- a subunit vaccine against Epstein-Barr Virus
(EBV) infection, a major cause of infectious mononucleosis.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results
may differ materially from those suggested here. Additional information
concerning factors that could cause such a difference is contained in Aviron's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997.
SOURCE Aviron
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CONTACT:
media, John Bluth of Fleishman-Hillard,
212-453-2000, for Aviron; or investors, Fred Kurland or Lyn
Christenson of Aviron, 650-919-6500
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