Monopar advances launch readiness with addition of veteran commercial executive Nicole Sweeny to Board of Directors and expansion of commercial leadership team. by GlobeNewswire Jul 20, 2026 8:10 pm WILMETTE, Ill., July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Monopar Therapeutics Inc. ("Monopar" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: MNPR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for patients with unmet medical needs, today announced the addition of seasoned commercial leaders to support the anticipated launch of the Company's first commercial product, ALXN1840, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Nicole Sweeny, former Chief Commercial Officer of KalVista Pharmaceuticals, was elected to the Board of Directors at the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders on June 22, 2026. In addition, Monopar has appointed Sharon Funk as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, and Daniel Olmstead as Senior Vice President, Market Access, Distribution and Patient Services. ALXN1840 is a first-in-class Albumin Tripartite Complex (ATC) activator for the treatment of Wilson disease that has demonstrated clinical safety, efficacy and tolerability across a robust clinical development program. The Company plans to submit an FDA New Drug Application (NDA) for ALXN1840 in mid-2026. Nicole Sweeny's 20-plus years of commercial leadership and rare disease launch experience will provide valuable strategic guidance as Monopar prepares for the potential commercialization of ALXN1840. "I'm pleased to join the Monopar Board of Directors as the Company prepares for its next, important phase of growth," said Ms. Sweeny. "Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand the importance of pairing scientific innovation with thoughtful commercial strategy and disciplined execution. I look forward to contributing my experience alongside my fellow directors and the management team as the Company advances its mission, navigates the opportunities ahead and works to create lasting value for patients and shareholders." Monopar also continued the build-out of its commercial organization with the appointments of Sharon Funk and Daniel Olmstead. Ms. Funk brings more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical commercial leadership experience, with a proven track record of successful scale up and product launches, most recently playing a key role in the commercialization of LUMRYZ at Avadel Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Alkermes Q1 2026. Mr. Olmstead brings more than 30 years of experience creating best-in-class market access, distribution and patient services strategies, most recently instrumental to the successful launches of novel therapies by Ardelyx and Akebia Therapeutics. "This is a pivotal time for Monopar as we advance ALXN1840 toward an NDA submission and prepare for a potential commercial launch," said Susan Rodriguez, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer of Monopar. "Sharon and Dan are highly experienced commercial leaders with a proven track record of successful launches of innovative therapies in the rare disease and specialty therapy space. I am also very pleased to welcome Nicole to the Monopar Board of Directors, who brings an invaluable commercial perspective to our Board and management team as we quickly advance our commercial readiness activities. These additions meaningfully deepen the commercial expertise at Monopar as we work to bring ALXN1840 to the Wilson disease community." About Monopar Therapeutics Inc. Monopar is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. ALXN1840 is a first-in-class Albumin Tripartite Complex (ATC) activator for the treatment of Wilson disease in late-stage development. MNPR-101, a first-in-class targeted anti-uPAR (urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) antibody platform in Phase 1 development, is designed to enable targeted radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy against aggressive solid tumors associated with multiple cancer types. For more information, visit www.monopartx.com and connect with us on X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "target" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Examples of these forward-looking statements include statements concerning: Monopar's plans to support the anticipated launch of the Company's first commercial product, ALXN1840, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval; that the Company plans to submit an FDA New Drug Application (NDA) for ALXN1840 in mid-2026; that Monopar prepares for the potential commercialization of ALXN1840; that Monopar advances ALXN1840 toward an NDA submission and prepare[s] for a potential commercial launch; and that Monopar works to bring ALXN1840 to the Wilson disease community. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the following: uncertainties related to the regulatory process that Monopar intends to initiate related to ALXN1840, including the submission of the NDA to the FDA, and the outcome thereof; the rate of market acceptance and competitiveness in terms of pricing, efficacy and safety of any products for which Monopar receives marketing approval, and Monopar's ability to competitively market any such products as compared to larger pharmaceutical firms; Monopar's ability to raise sufficient funds in order for the Company to support continued preclinical, clinical, regulatory, precommercial and commercial development of its programs and to make contractual milestone payments, as well as its ability to further raise additional funds in the future to support any existing or future product candidate programs through completion of clinical trials, the approval processes and, if applicable, commercialization; and the significant general risks and uncertainties surrounding the research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of imaging agents and therapeutics. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks are described more fully in Monopar's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Monopar undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent Monopar's views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Monopar Therapeutics Inc. Investor Relations Chief Financial Officer [email protected] X: @MonoparTx LinkedIn: Monopar Therapeutics

Analyzing KalVista's acquisition and its strategic implications. Friday, June 12, 2026 KalVista Pharmaceuticals is making a bold strategic play, finalizing a key acquisition that promises to reshape its future. Ololand dive into the recent SEC filing to analyze what this pivotal move means for the company's pipeline and its competitive position in the crowded biopharma landscape. In the dynamic landscape of biotechnology, strategic transactions are the lifeblood of innovation and growth. A recent 8-K filing from KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (KALV) has drawn attention, disclosing the completion of a pivotal acquisition. While on the surface it appears to be a standard consolidation, a deeper analysis reveals a sophisticated maneuver designed to unlock public market access and fuel a promising clinical pipeline. This transaction is less about acquiring technology and more about acquiring a platform for future growth, a strategic play that warrants a closer look. Unpacking the transaction: A reverse merger in disguise. The deal in question is KalVista's acquisition of Carbylan Therapeutics, Inc. This was structured as an all-stock transaction, resulting in Carbylan becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of KalVista. However, the critical detail lies in the ownership structure of the combined entity: upon closing, KalVista's former stockholders held a significant majority of the new company. This structure confirms the deal was a reverse merger, a strategic maneuver where a private company (KalVista) effectively goes public by merging with an existing publicly-traded company (Carbylan). Strategic Rationale: The primary driver for this transaction was not product synergy but access to the public capital markets. * For KalVista (the acquirer): As a private, clinical-stage company, KalVista was developing a portfolio of novel, small molecule protease inhibitors for diseases like hereditary angioedema (HAE). Advancing these assets through expensive late-stage clinical trials requires substantial capital. A traditional Initial Public Offering (IPO) can be a lengthy, costly, and market-dependent process. The reverse merger provided a more direct and potentially faster route to a NASDAQ listing and the ability to raise capital from public investors. * For Carbylan (the target): Carbylan, a company focused on osteoarthritis treatments, had likely faced clinical or strategic setbacks. For such "public shell" companies with cash reserves and a stock listing but a challenged pipeline, a reverse merger offers a compelling alternative to liquidation. It allows their existing shareholders to retain a stake in a new, potentially high-growth enterprise, providing a path to recovering value. Valuation Context: The valuation in a reverse merger is not based on traditional metrics like revenue or EBITDA multiples, as the target's primary assets are its public listing and cash on hand. Instead, the valuation is a negotiation of relative contribution. The final ownership split reflects the perceived value of KalVista's intellectual property, clinical pipeline, and management team versus Carbylan's public listing and net cash. The combined entity immediately adopted the KalVista name and strategic direction, signaling a complete pivot to the new leadership and its HAE-focused pipeline. Market implications and competitive positioning. This transaction fundamentally reshaped KalVista's market position and has broader implications for the biotechnology sector. * Entering the HAE Arena: The deal immediately established the newly public KalVista as a formidable player in the hereditary angioedema market. HAE is a rare genetic disorder characterized by severe swelling attacks, a market historically dominated by injectable therapies from larger players like Takeda (formerly Shire) and CSL Behring. KalVista's focus on developing an oral, on-demand treatment represented a significant potential disruption, promising greater patient convenience and a new mechanism of action. Becoming a public company provided the financial firepower and visibility needed to challenge these incumbents. * A Blueprint for Biotech Financing: The KalVista-Carbylan deal serves as a case study in alternative financing strategies for promising biotech firms. When the IPO window narrows or specific companies prefer a more certain path to public markets, the reverse merger remains a viable, if less common, tool. It highlights how distressed public biotechs can be repurposed as vehicles for high-potential private companies to accelerate their development. * Shifting Investor Focus: Following the merger, investor focus shifted entirely away from Carbylan's legacy assets and onto KalVista's clinical milestones. The company's valuation became directly tied to the progress of its lead HAE candidates, such as sebetralstat. Every data readout, clinical trial initiation, and regulatory interaction would now be scrutinized by the public markets, creating both immense opportunity and significant pressure to execute. A strategic pivot for future growth. The acquisition of Carbylan was not an end in itself but a foundational move. It was a calculated transaction that exchanged a private status for the currency of the public markets - liquidity, access to capital, and heightened visibility. By executing this reverse merger, KalVista's management team effectively traded a degree of ownership for the resources necessary to advance its potentially transformative therapies. The success of this deal will not be measured by integration synergies but by KalVista's ability to deliver on its clinical promise. The transaction armed the company for the long and capital-intensive journey of drug development, positioning it to compete in a high-value therapeutic area and, ultimately, to bring a new class of treatment to patients in need. Ready to analyze your next deal? Upload your CIM for instant AI-powered analysis - financial extraction, risk assessment, and valuation in minutes. Analyze your own CIM. Upload a CIM and get financials, risks, and valuation in seconds.