DiaMedica Therapeutics Appoints David Wambeke as Chief Business Officer

DiaMedica Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a novel treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), today announced the appointment of David Wambeke, as Chief Business Officer (CBO). In this position, he will lead business development, including financing and partnering strategies, and acceleration of prioritized development programs, as well as other business operations.

“Dave brings over 15 years of relevant life sciences, M&A, capital markets, and investor relations experience to DiaMedica. He was the lead banker on our Initial Public Offering and has been one of my most reliable and trusted outside advisers over the last five years. He has a deep understanding of DM199’s mechanism of action and our clinical programs, along with key relationships across the biotech industry,” commented Rick Pauls, DiaMedica President and Chief Executive Officer. “Dave is well-known for being a collaborative partner who gets results, and his investment aligns his interests firmly with our shareholders. We’re very pleased to have Dave join us at this critical time as we prepare to resume enrollment in our ReMEDy2 AIS trial and work toward providing stroke patients with a new therapeutic option.”

Mr. Wambeke most recently served as Partner and Managing Director of Investment Banking, at Craig-Hallum Capital Group, LLC, a growth-focused investment bank. Mr. Wambeke joined Craig-Hallum in May 2007 and was involved in more than one hundred financing and M&A transactions with a focus on the life sciences and biotech industries. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Mr. Wambeke was enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as an artilleryman and military police officer. During a deployment in Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Wambeke was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart. Mr. Wambeke received a B.S. from the University of Minnesota.

“I’m thrilled to be joining DiaMedica at such a critical juncture and equally excited to become a shareholder. AIS patients suffer when blood supply is blocked to regions of the brain and I believe DM199’s ability to drive increased collateral circulation will significantly improve outcomes for AIS patients,” noted Mr. Wambeke. “This belief is reinforced by the numerous clinical studies and meta-analyses demonstrating improved clinical outcomes in stroke patients treated with the form of KLK1 approved in China.”