IRVINE, Calif., March 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AEON Biopharma, Inc. ("AEON" or the "Company") (NYSE:AEON), a biopharmaceutical company advancing ABP-450 (prabotulinumtoxinA) as a biosimilar to BOTOX^® (onabotulinumtoxinA) to achieve accelerated and full-label U.S. market entry, today announced the appointment of John Bencich as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bencich joins AEON at a pivotal stage in the Company's evolution as it prepares to execute through its next phase of critical regulatory milestones.

"John's appointment represents an important step forward for AEON as we enter a period of accelerated execution," said Rob Bancroft, President and Chief Executive Officer of AEON. "His deep experience leading finance organizations at publicly traded biotechnology companies, combined with his capital markets expertise, will strengthen our financial strategy, deepen institutional engagement, and support disciplined capital formation as we advance our regulatory pathway. We believe John's leadership will be instrumental in positioning AEON for long-term value creation."

"AEON is executing a focused and differentiated biosimilar strategy within a large and attractive therapeutic market," said Mr. Bencich. "I see significant opportunity to strengthen the Company's financial foundation and support the next stage of growth to help fully realize its potential. I am excited to join the team at such a defining moment."

Mr. Bencich joins AEON with more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning corporate strategy, capital market transactions, and business development across emerging growth and publicly traded companies. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Achieve Life Sciences, where he led the company's capitalization and helped drive significant market capitalization growth. During his tenure, he also oversaw key clinical and regulatory milestones, strengthened the company's intellectual property portfolio, and advanced commercial and business development initiatives. Earlier in his career, he held Chief Financial Officer positions at OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Diagnostics, Allozyne, and Trubion Pharmaceuticals, where he supported multiple financings, strategic transactions, and public-company readiness initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of San Diego and an MBA from Seattle University.

About the U.S. Biosimilar Pathway

Under the FDA's 351(k) biosimilar pathway, developers must demonstrate that a proposed product is highly similar to an approved reference biologic, with no clinically meaningful differences in safety, purity, or potency. Analytical similarity represents the scientific foundation of this process, integrated with clinical and regulatory strategy to form a totality-of-evidence assessment. FDA engagement focuses on determining the scope of data necessary to address residual uncertainty, which may include analytical, nonclinical, or clinical components as appropriate.

About AEON Biopharma

AEON Biopharma is a biopharmaceutical company advancing a strategy to achieve accelerated and full-label access to the U.S. therapeutic neurotoxin market through biosimilarity to BOTOX^®. The U.S. therapeutic neurotoxin market exceeds $3.0 billion annually and represents a significant opportunity for high-quality biosimilar competition. The Company's lead asset is ABP-450 for debilitating medical conditions. ABP-450 is the same botulinum toxin complex currently approved and marketed for cosmetic indications by Evolus, Inc. under the name Jeuveau^®. ABP-450 is manufactured by Daewoong Pharmaceutical in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practice, or cGMP, in a facility that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and European Medicines Agency. The product is approved as a biosimilar in India, Mexico, and the Philippines. AEON has exclusive development and distribution rights for therapeutic indications of ABP-450 in the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and certain other international territories. To learn more about AEON, visit www.aeonbiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or AEON's future financial or operating performance and may include statements regarding the Company's regulatory plans, development strategy for ABP-450, anticipated capital formation activities, growth opportunities, and the expected contributions of Mr. Bencich to the Company's strategy and execution.

These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, regulatory developments and outcomes, the Company's ability to obtain necessary approvals, the availability of capital on acceptable terms, market conditions, competitive developments, and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and AEON undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

Contacts

Investor Contact:

Laurence Watts

New Street Investor Relations

+1 619 916 7620

laurence@newstreetir.com

Source: AEON Biopharma

AEON Biopharma Appoints John Bencich as Chief Financial Officer