Exicure Announces Chief Executive Officer, Dr. David Giljohann, Named to Endpoints News' "Under-40s" Biopharma Executives List

Exicure, Inc., the pioneer in gene regulatory and immunotherapeutic drugs utilizing three-dimensional, spherical nucleic acid (SNA™) constructs, today announced that the Company's Chief Executive Officer, David Giljohann, Ph.D., has been recognized by Endpoints News as an outstanding up-and-coming biopharma professional under the age of 40.

Dr. Giljohann was Exicure's founding scientist in 2011. He has served as Chief Executive Officer since November 2013 and on the Company's Board of Directors since March 2014. He completed his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Chad A. Mirkin where he developed oligonucleotide-modified nanoparticles, including Exicure's Spherical Nucleic Acid (SNA™) constructs.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized in Endpoints News' under-40s biopharma professionals list," states Dr. Giljohann, 37. "I would like to see a dramatic change in how quickly we can design and develop drugs for patients in need, and this is a driving force for our team at Exicure. With three drugs now in the clinic, we hope that the advancement of our SNA technology can provide great promise for a broad range of chronic conditions and orphan diseases."

Dr. Giljohann has been recognized for his work with a Materials Research Society Gold Award, Baxter Innovation Award, Rappaport Award for Research Excellence, NSEC Outstanding Research Award, and as a finalist in the National Inventors Hall of Fame Collegiate Inventors Competition. Dr. Giljohann has contributed to over 25 manuscripts and over 100 patents and applications. He received his Ph.D. in 2009 from Northwestern University.

About Exicure, Inc.
Exicure, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a new class of immunomodulatory and gene regulating drugs against validated targets. Exicure's proprietary 3-dimensional, spherical nucleic acid (SNA™) architecture unlocks the potential of therapeutic oligonucleotides in a wide range of cells and tissues. Exicure's lead programs address inflammatory diseases, genetic disorders and oncology. Exicure is based outside of Chicago, Ill. www.exicuretx.com

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