CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: ARDC), a company focused on the discovery and development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of viral diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced changes to its research management. Dr. Jean-Luc Girardet has been named Vice President, Research Operations. Dr. Girardet will be responsible for implementing the Company's drug discovery programs. Dr. Girardet was previously Senior Director, Discovery Logistics. Prior to joining Ardea, he led HCV and HIV chemistry project teams and managed the Process Chemistry function at Valeant Pharmaceuticals.
Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D. will establish a new non-profit foundation focused on drug discovery and development for neglected diseases in developing countries. This new enterprise will leverage early discovery assets from the Ardea Biosciences' portfolio for neglected diseases in developing countries. To establish this new enterprise, Patrick O'Connor will transition from his current role as Chief Scientific Officer at Ardea Biosciences to a consultancy role to the Company on drug discovery and development.
"Jean-Luc's strong leadership and expertise in drug discovery will be critical as we grow our pipeline of proprietary drug candidates," said Barry D. Quart, PharmD, President and CEO. "Patrick's dedication to the search for novel treatments for some of the most important diseases impacting the developing world is a testament to his character. Although Patrick's day-to-day participation in our activities will be reduced, he will remain an important part of the Ardea family as our Chief Scientific Strategist and the scientific leader of our oncology drug discovery programs."
About Ardea Biosciences, Inc.
Ardea Biosciences is focused on the discovery and development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of viral diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company plans to initiate clinical studies on four compounds this year. These include RDEA806, the Company's lead non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) for the treatment of HIV, which recently completed Phase 1 clinical trials, RDEA119, a mitogen-activated ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, which has been cleared by the FDA to enter Phase 1 clinical trials, and a follow-on NNRTI and a follow-on MEK inhibitor, both of which are scheduled to enter first-in-human studies in the fourth quarter of 2007.
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. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: Ardea's goals, including its goal of establishing a collaboration with a new non-profit foundation to leverage Ardea's early discovery assets for neglected diseases in developing countries, its goal of initiating Phase 1 clinical studies of RDEA119 and initiating clinical studies on three additional compounds this year, the expected properties and benefits of its compounds and the results of clinical and other studies. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: risks related to the outcomes of preclinical and clinical trials, risks related to regulatory approvals, delays in commencement of preclinical and clinical tests, and costs associated with internal development and in-licensing activities. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Ardea's most recently filed SEC documents, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the headings "Risk Factors." All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Ardea undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
