Vaxart Names Veteran CPA W. Mark Watson, Ex-Deloitte Executive With 50+ Years’ Experience, As New Lead Independent Director

Vaxart, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing oral recombinant pill vaccines using its proprietary delivery platform, announced the appointment of W. Mark Watson as lead independent director. Mr. Watson is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 50 years of experience, including over 40 years at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. He has served on Vaxart’s board since August 2022 and brings extensive leadership experience from various biotechnology and healthcare organizations. 

His previous roles include chairman of the board of directors and chairman of the audit committee at Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc., as well as director and chair of the audit committee for Sykes Enterprises, Inc. and BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. He also served as a trustee for Tekla World Healthcare Fund, Tekla Healthcare Opportunities Fund, Tekla Healthcare Investors, and Tekla Life Sciences Investors until the fall of 2023. In addition, he currently serves on the board of Moffitt Cancer Center, where he chairs the Risk, Audit, and Compliance Committee.

Mr. Watson stated, “I am excited to take on this role and fully support our leadership team in their mission to advance the Company’s groundbreaking oral vaccine platform. On behalf of the Board, we believe strongly in the direction Vaxart is heading and its potential to transform global public health. Furthermore, we are committed to an open and ongoing dialogue with our investors. Based on my years of investing in biotech companies and my experience serving on the boards of other publicly traded companies, regaining Nasdaq compliance is a critical step for our Company, which we believe is essential for our long-term success.”

Along with Mr. Watson’s appointment, Vaxart’s board of directors is in the process of adopting a stock ownership policy for its directors. This policy will formalize existing stock ownership practices to ensure that the board’s interests remain closely aligned with those of the company’s stockholders. Vaxart emphasized its commitment to transparency and regular communication with shareholders, noting that its leadership team has consistently addressed frequently asked questions, conducted quarterly conference calls, and recently introduced a fireside chat series to connect directly with its investors.