San Francisco, Calif. – June 24, 2021 – Spruce Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPRB), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for rare endocrine disorders with significant unmet medical need, today announced the appointment of Kirk Ways, M.D., Ph.D., to its board of directors.  

“We are excited to welcome Kirk to our board during an important time in Spruce’s continued growth,” said Mike Grey, Executive Chairman of Spruce Biosciences. “Kirk is an experienced endocrinologist and a recognized leader in the biopharmaceutical industry whose extensive clinical development, research and medical experience will be instrumental as we execute on our clinical development program for tildacerfont and vision of delivering new medicines to people living with rare endocrine disorders.” 

Dr. Ways brings more than 30 years of extensive pharmaceutical drug discovery and development experience to Spruce’s board of directors. Until recently, Dr. Ways served as Chief Medical Officer of Nuvelution Pharma. Prior to joining Nuvelution, Dr. Ways headed several drug development units at Johnson & Johnson’s Pharmaceutical Research and Development group, with focus on metabolic disease, women’s health, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease and internal medicine.  Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Ways served in leadership capacities at BioStratum Incorporated as Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Aventis as Senior Global Medical Leader and Project Team Leader and Lilly Research Laboratories as a Research Fellow with responsibilities for the preclinical and clinical development for agents treating the chronic complications of diabetes. Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Ways served as Director of the Diabetes Center, Vice Chairman for the Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology Section Head and Professor of Medicine at East Carolina School of Medicine. An accomplished researcher, Dr. Ways has authored more than one hundred publications in the fields of diabetes and cancer.

Dr. Ways earned his M.D. with honors and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of North Carolina and graduated with a B.A. Magna Cum Laude from Bridgewater College.

“I am eager to work with the accomplished management team and board of directors of Spruce Biosciences to contribute to the clinical development strategy for tildacerfont,” said Dr. Ways. “Spruce represents a differentiated opportunity to advance new and better treatment options for people living with rare endocrine disorders, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia and a rare form of polycystic ovary syndrome.” 

About Spruce Biosciences

Spruce Biosciences is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for rare endocrine disorders with significant unmet need. Spruce is initially developing its wholly-owned product candidate, tildacerfont, as the potential first non-steroidal therapy for patients suffering from classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Classic CAH is a serious and life-threatening disease with no known novel therapies approved in approximately 50 years. Spruce is also developing tildacerfont for women suffering from a rare form of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with primary adrenal androgen excess. To learn more, visit www.sprucebiosciences.com and follow us on Twitter @Spruce_Bio, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. 

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, the results, conduct, progress and timing of Spruce’s clinical trials. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “potential,” “goal,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Spruce’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with Spruce’s business in general, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other risks described in Spruce’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Spruce undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

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