Leading Global Health Expert Dr. Adel A.F. Mahmoud Joins IAVI Board of Directors

NEW YORK, NY—APRIL 9, 2012—The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) announces the appointment to its Board of Directors of Dr. Adel A.F. Mahmoud, professor at Princeton University, former President of Merck Vaccines and former Chairman of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He joins a diverse group of 12 directors from ten countries with backgrounds in finance, vaccinology, international development, academia and HIV treatment and prevention that oversees IAVI’s progress and shapes its long-term strategy.

A leader in infectious disease, vaccine research and global health, Dr. Mahmoud currently holds joint appointments at Princeton University at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and at the Department of Molecular Biology. During his tenure as President of Merck Vaccines, Dr. Mahmoud led efforts to develop and launch four vaccines, including vaccines against shingles and human papillomavirus (HPV), the combination vaccine against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMR), and the rotavirus vaccine. He also has extensive experience in devising strategies to address global health issues, having helped to shape the agenda of the Forum on Microbial Threats of the Institute of Medicine by providing advice on biological threats and bioterrorism, SARS, pandemic flu and other issues.

“We are very pleased to have Adel join IAVI’s Board of Directors,” said Margaret McGlynn, IAVI’s President & Chief Executive Officer. “His experience in the private sector, especially the development and delivery of preventive vaccines, and his in-depth knowledge of immunology and infectious diseases combined with his passion for the development of an AIDS vaccine will prove invaluable to IAVI. I look forward to working closely with Adel again, and welcome his addition to our Board.”

“I am excited to serve on the board of IAVI,” said Dr. Mahmoud. “HIV is one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time, and the development of a preventive AIDS vaccine remains the best hope for ending the AIDS pandemic. I believe IAVI is well positioned to bring together and collaborate with researchers from the public, private and academic sectors to help achieve this goal.”

Prior to joining Merck in 1999, Dr. Mahmoud worked for more than three decades as an educator and academic researcher. He has held positions at the University of Cairo, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and University Hospitals of Cleveland. He is currently a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Boards of Directors of BD (Becton, Dickinson, and Company), the US Military Malaria Vaccine Program and the biopharmaceutical companies GenVec and Inovio. Dr. Mahmoud is also a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science. He was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Parasitic Diseases of the World Health Organization, served on the Board of the GAVI Alliance, and is a past president of the Central Society for Clinical Research and the International Society for Infectious Diseases.   Dr. Mahmoud received his medical degree from the University of Cairo and doctoral degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

About IAVI
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is a global not-for-profit organization whose mission is to ensure the development of safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccines for use throughout the world.  Founded in 1996, IAVI works with partners in 25 countries to research, design and develop AIDS vaccine candidates.  In addition, IAVI conducts policy analyses and serves as an advocate for the AIDS vaccine field.  IAVI supports a comprehensive approach to addressing HIV and AIDS that balances the expansion and strengthening of existing HIV-prevention and treatment programs with targeted investments in the design and development of new tools to prevent HIV. IAVI is dedicated to ensuring that a future AIDS vaccine will be available and accessible to all who need it. IAVI relies on the generous donations from governments, private individuals, corporations and foundations to carry out its mission.  For more information, see www.iavi.org.