UPDATE: NutriPharma ASA and Subsidiary Bionor Immuno AS Change Name to Bionor Pharma ASA; New Board Selected by Shareholders at Annual General Meeting


OSLO, NORWAY--(Marketwire - May 27, 2010) -  Norwegian Nutri Pharma ASA (OSLO: NUT) and its subsidiary Bionor Immuno AS today announced that the parent Company Nutri Pharma ASA will now be known as Bionor Pharma ASA. The name change is the result of a vote of shareholders at Nutri Pharma's Annual General Meeting, held May 19.

The Annual General Meeting also resolved to elect the following Board of Directors, who assumed their responsibilities as of May 20, 2010:

Chairwoman of the Board: Wenche Rolfsen, Ph.D, has held several top positions within the pharmaceutical Industry, including at Pharmacia Corporation. Until recently, Ms. Rolfsen held the Managing Director role of Quintiles Scandinavia and Vice President of Quintiles Europe. Ms. Rolfsen is a Board member of Aker Biomarine ASA(listed on Oslo Børs) Aprea AB(Chairman), Denator AB(Chairman), Artimplant AB (listed on OMX Stockholm), Biovitrum AB(listed on OMX Stockholm), Axis Shield (listed in London and Oslo Børs) and Industrifonden, Sweden.

Vice-Chairman of the Board: Henrik Lund is Global Vice President MC Clinical Development, AstraZeneca R&D. Mr. Lund joined AstraZeneca in 1994 and since 2005 he has headed AstraZeneca's clinical development, phase I-III, across 43 subsidiaries.

Board Members: Elsebeth Budolfsen has served as member of a number of Board of Directors in Europe and the US. Ms. Budolfsen served as CEO of ALK-Abello AS from 1979-2000 taking the company to a position of global leadership within the field of allergy vaccines.

Thomas Falck has served as Vice-Chairman of Biotec Pharmacon ASA (listed on Oslo Børs), and as board member or chairman of more than 45 companies. Mr. Falck has served as the Chairman of NVCA - the Norwegian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association and as a board member of EVCA - the European Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.

Eric Cameron has 20 years of experience in the press and 10 years comprehensive international business experience as executive director of Nycomed.

At the AGM, shareholders agreed to grant the Board of Directors an authorization to increase the Company's share capital by a maximum of 3 million shares. The authorization will expire at the Company's next AGM. Shareholders also authorized to increase the Company's share capital by 10 percent in case the Company has a need for additional financing of R&D activities in Bionor Immuno AS. This authorization will also expire at the Company's next AGM.

Bionor Pharma has filed a request to change its ticker symbol on the Oslo Bors exchange, from NUT to BIONOR. 

About Bionor Pharma ASA

Therapeutic peptide-treatments

Bionor Pharma is an Oslo, Norway-based biotech company developing therapeutic peptide vaccines that stimulate cell-mediated immunity. Previous efforts within HIV-treatment made to use T-cell stimulation for vaccines have been notoriously unsuccessful and this is the reason they are not on the market today. Bionor Pharma carefully designs synthetic (modified) peptides with improved efficacy and safety profiles. Among the diseases targeted are chronic infections such as HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Influenza. Bionor Pharma's platform technology is broadly applicable and makes it possible to extend the range of projects to include vaccines targeting cancer.

The Company's lead therapeutic HIV vaccine, Vacc-4X, has been used in 140 study volunteers living with HIV, with no known side effects.

Science based soy products to improve health

The Company is also one of the leaders in soy technology for treatment and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. Products marketed by NutriPharma ASA will continue to be marketed under existing brands and names, Nutrilett, Nutri5 and NutriPro. The products are distributed by partners under license from Bionor Pharma in 18 countries in Europe, as well as in Russia/CIS. More information is available at: www.nutripharma.com, which in a few days will be amended to www.bionorpharma.com.

Contact Information:

Contact information:
Trond Syvertsen
CEO, Bionor Pharma ASA
+47 917 21 457
+47 23 01 09 60

Rolf Henning Lem
CFO, Bionor Pharma ASA
+47 97 74 88 45
+47 23 01 09 60

David Sheon
For Bionor Pharma/USA
202 547-2880