Business
Genprex Announces the Passing of its Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Rodney Varner
Ryan Confer Appointed Genprex President and CEO and to its Board of Directors AUSTIN, Texas, May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genprex, Inc. ("Genprex" or the
About this update from Genprex, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Ryan Confer Appointed Genprex President and CEO and to its Board of Directors\nAUSTIN, Texas, May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genprex, Inc. (\"Genprex\" or the \"Company\") (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes, today announced with great respect and sorrow the unexpected passing last night of the Company's co-founder, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rodney Varner, due to sudden complications after a courageous battle with cancer. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \nMr. Varner co-founded Genprex in 2009, and he has served on the Company's board of directors since 2012. He has served as President and CEO of Genprex since 2016. Under Mr. Varner's leadership, Genprex became a publicly traded company in 2018 and has successfully completed two Phase 1 clinical trials, opened three additional clinical trials, expanded its intellectual property portfolio, exclusively licensed new novel gene therapy technologies and has received three U.S. Food and Drug Administration Fast Track Designations and one Orphan Drug Designation.\nGenprex expresses its sincere condolences to the Varner family and to Mr. Varner's friends and colleagues. Mr. Varner will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him. As a cancer patient himself, Mr. Varner was truly committed to Genprex's mission to help patients suffering with cancer and diabetes.\nGenprex's Board of Directors issued the following statement:\n\"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rodney, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. Rodney was an excellent company leader, with a clear mission and vision for the future of Genprex. He was dedicated and devoted to seeing Genprex succeed in developing its gene therapies. He will be remembered for his faithfulness and loyalty to Genprex, his devotion to his family, his remarkable law career, his sense of humor and love for the outdoors. We have lost a leader and a friend.\"\nRyan Confer, Genprex's Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to the Company's pre-existing transition plan, has been appointed by the Board of Directors to serve as President and CEO of Genprex as well as a member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Confer has served in chief level roles for a variety of early-s...