News: VBIO announces MJ veteran advisor

LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwired – Apr 12, 2017) – Vitality Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB: VBIO) (“Vitality” or the “Company”) a corporation dedicated to the development of cannabinoid prodrug pharmaceuticals, and to unlocking the power of cannabinoids for the treatment of serious neurological and inflammatory disorders, today announced the appointment of Tracy Rockney, J.D., Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, OneSource Regulatory, to the position of Senior Regulatory Advisor.

Tracy Rockney, J.D. was formerly VP, Regulatory Affairs at AbbVie Inc. from May 2010 to May 2015, leading executive functions related to regulatory policy and intelligence, and from August 1993 to January 2005 she held positions of increasing responsibility with Pfizer (formerly Wyeth). From January 2005 to April 2010, she held positions with Shire Pharmaceuticals (“Shire”), including serving as Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs. This included responsibilities as Therapeutic Area Head for Shire’s Gastrointestinal Business Unit, Regulatory Advertising & Promotion and CMC.

In January 2007, during her tenure with Shire, Ms. Rockney led the regulatory team and negotiations with FDA for LIALDA™. The FDA approved Shire’s LIALDA™ with MMX® technology, which was the first once-daily oral formulation of mesalamines. Mesalamines are part of the drug class of aminosalicylates, now part of the clinical standard-of-care for treating inflammatory bowel disease. LIALDA™ was found to be effective in Phase 3 trials for inducing remission of active mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis after eight weeks of treatment. LIALDA™ (also now marketed as Mezavant®) had U.S. sales in 2016 of $714 million, which increased by 16% relative to 2015 sales.

Vitality Biopharma has developed a new class of cannabinoid pharmaceuticals, known as cannabosides, which upon ingestion can enable the targeted delivery of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) to the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabosides could provide therapeutic benefits for inflammatory bowel disease while eliminating or reducing drug psychoactivity. Approximately 1.4 million Americans are affected by inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Most patients are diagnosed before age 30 and require life-long treatment.

“We’re very excited to have Tracy join our team, as a regulatory leader with a clear track record of innovation and success with development of new drugs for gastrointestinal disorders,” said Robert Brooke, Chief Executive Officer of Vitality Biopharma.

About Vitality Biopharma (OTCQB: VBIO)
Vitality Biopharma is dedicated to unlocking the power of cannabinoids for the treatment of serious neurological and inflammatory disorders. For more information, visit: www.vitality.bio. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.