Board strengthened with extensive biotechnology leadership, strategic transactions and capital markets expertise
Company continues to build on PALI-2108 clinical progress as it advances toward Phase 2 development and additional key milestones
Denver, CO, June 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Palisade Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALI) (“Palisade” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation, once-daily, oral PDE4 inhibitor prodrugs designed for targeted delivery to the terminal ileum and colon, today announced the addition of Robert Baltera and Jordan Zwick to its Board of Directors.
“We are pleased to welcome both Robert and Jordan to the Palisade Bio Board of Directors,” said JD Finley, Chief Executive Officer of Palisade Bio. “Their combined expertise across biotechnology company building, strategic transactions, capital markets, operational execution and corporate governance will provide meaningful value as we continue advancing PALI-2108 through clinical development and execute on our long-term growth strategy. Both executives have significant experience supporting innovative biotechnology companies through important stages of development, financing and value creation.”
Mr. Baltera is a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive, board director and Senior Advisor at Frazier Life Sciences, with more than three decades of experience spanning company leadership, corporate strategy, product development, operations, manufacturing, commercial planning and strategic transactions. He has served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Cirius Therapeutics and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Inipharm. Previously, Mr. Baltera served as Chief Executive Officer of Amira Pharmaceuticals, where he helped advance the company’s pipeline and strategic collaborations prior to its sale to Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2011 for $475 million. He also previously served as Chairman of Mavupharma until its acquisition by AbbVie and served on the boards of Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation and Imago BioSciences, which was acquired by Merck. Earlier in his career, Mr. Baltera held several senior management positions during a 17-year tenure at Amgen. He brings deep expertise in guiding emerging life sciences companies through company formation, clinical development, operational execution, corporate development, financing and strategic transactions.
“I am excited to join the Palisade Bio Board of Directors at such an important stage in the Company’s development,” said Robert Baltera. “PALI-2108 has demonstrated a differentiated profile and the potential to address significant unmet needs in inflammatory bowel disease. With the program advancing toward Phase 2 development, I believe Palisade Bio is entering a critical period of growth and value creation.”
Mr. Zwick is the Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Mirador Therapeutics and an experienced biopharmaceutical executive with expertise in corporate strategy, business development, capital markets and value creation across public and private life sciences companies. He has advised and led numerous strategic transactions throughout his career, including serving as a strategic advisor to Prometheus Biosciences prior to its acquisition by Merck in 2023 and to CrossBridge Bio through its acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2026. He was also a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Theratechnologies, Inc. prior to the company’s sale to Future Pak in 2025. Mr. Zwick served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Business Development and Investor Relations at Amarin Corporation and, previously, as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at InflaRx N.V. Earlier in his career, he held positions at Medtronic, Salix Pharmaceuticals and Bausch Health. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of TruTechnologies, a portfolio company of LLR Partners, and on the Advisory Board of the McKenna Life Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship Program at Arizona State University.
“Palisade Bio represents a compelling opportunity at a pivotal stage in its evolution,” said Jordan Zwick. “PALI-2108 has generated encouraging clinical data to date and is advancing toward several meaningful milestones. As the Company advances toward Phase 2 development, I believe it is well positioned to address a significant unmet medical need while creating meaningful value for shareholders.”
The appointments further strengthen Palisade Bio’s Board of Directors with expertise across biotechnology company building, capital markets, strategic transactions, corporate governance and public company leadership.
About Palisade Bio
Palisade Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALI) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing a next-generation oral PDE4 inhibitor prodrug designed to improve pharmacology, tolerability and convenience for patients with inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Through its differentiated prodrug platform and precision pharmacology strategy, Palisade is committed to transforming proven PDE4 biology into differentiated oral therapies for patients living with chronic inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.
The Company’s lead program, PALI-2108, is a once-daily oral PDE4 inhibitor prodrug designed to be selectively bioactivated in the ileum and colon, initiating targeted PDE4 inhibition at sites of disease while enabling systemic distribution of the active drug. PALI-2108 has generated positive clinical data from a Phase 1a trial and two Phase 1b clinical trials, including studies in ulcerative colitis (UC) and fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease (FSCD).
Palisade is now advancing toward Phase 2 clinical studies in UC and Crohn’s disease. For more information, please go to www.palisadebio.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: the potential mechanisms of action and therapeutic benefits of PALI-2108, plans for and timing of regulatory submissions and approvals, clinical trials and efficacy readouts and the Company’s expected cash runway. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the Company’s forward-looking statements include, among others, the timing of enrollment, commencement and completion of the Company’s clinical trials; the Company’s reliance on PALI-2108, and its early stage of clinical development; the risk that prior results, such as signals of safety, clinical response and efficacy, dosing or durability of effect, observed from preclinical or clinical trials with a limited number of patients, will not be replicated or will not continue in ongoing or future studies or clinical trials involving the Company’s product candidates in clinical trials focused on the same or different indications; and other factors that are described in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 20, 2026, and the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other SEC filings that are filed thereafter. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, except as required by law.
Investor Relations Contact
JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
908-824-0775
[email protected]