Exhibit 99.1
CytoDyn Appoints Robert E. Hoffman as Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Jacob Lalezari to remain with Company in scientific innovation and discovery role
VANCOUVER, Washington, October 19, 2026 -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) ("CytoDyn" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage oncology company advancing leronlimab, a first-in-class humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor with therapeutic potential across multiple solid-tumor oncology indications, including colorectal cancer (mCRC) and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC), today announced the appointment of Robert E. Hoffman as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 20, 2026.
Mr. Hoffman takes over in place of Dr. Jacob Lalezari, who had served as Chief Executive Officer since November 2023. Dr. Lalezari will remain with CytoDyn as Head of Research and Translational Sciences, where he will focus on identifying and advancing new opportunities for leronlimab in solid-tumor oncology. The leadership transition comes as CytoDyn prepares for its next phase of clinical development, with a focus on advancing its oncology pipeline, pursuing regulatory milestones and exploring potential strategic partnerships.
“Robert’s expertise is aligned with what’s next for CytoDyn as we look to 2027 as a year of clinical results, regulatory progress, and renewed partnering opportunities,” said Dr. Lalezari. “While our team executes the business plan to build on the very promising results from the CLOVER study, I will focus on identifying new opportunities for possible pursuits in solid-tumor oncology.”
“We are entering a transformational period for the Company, with opportunities to build on the scientific and clinical progress achieved in recent years,” said Mr. Hoffman. “Jay has played an instrumental role in advancing the Company and helping establish a clearer path forward for leronlimab. I am grateful for his leadership and look forward to continuing to work closely with him as we focus on clinical execution, financial discipline and positioning CytoDyn for its next stage of growth.”
The Board of Directors appointed Mr. Hoffman as Chief Executive Officer in consultation with Dr. Lalezari, who supports the transition and intends to continue to support the Company’s scientific efforts. In addition to assuming the CEO role, Mr. Hoffman will continue to serve as the principal accounting officer of the Company.
About Robert E. Hoffman
The Board of Directors appointed Robert E. Hoffman as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective October 20, 2026. Mr. Hoffman first joined CytoDyn on May 15, 2025, originally serving as its Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hoffman is an industry veteran with decades of financial and leadership experience, having served in a number of biotech executive and board roles. Most recently, he was the President, CEO, interim Chief Financial Officer and Chairperson of the board of directors of Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Heron Therapeutics, Inc., Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Innovus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Chief Financial Officer of AnaptysBio, Inc. Mr. Hoffman started his career at Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., rising through the ranks to Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hoffman currently serves on the board of directors of TuHURA Biosciences and Fibrobiologics, Inc., and has previously served as a director