Robert B. Stein, M.D., Ph.D., Joins Archemix Board of Directors
CAMBRIDGE,
Mass.
April 3, 2007
Archemix Corp. announced today that Robert B.
Stein, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed to the company's Board of
Directors.
Dr. Stein brings to Archemix over 25 years of
experience in research and development and business roles with pharmaceutical
and biotechnology
companies. From 2003 through 2006, he served as the President
of
Roche Palo Alto. Prior to joining Roche, Dr. Stein was the President
and Chief Scientific Officer of Incyte Corporation. Dr. Stein's
career also includes significant positions at companies including
Merck & Co., Ligand Pharmaceuticals, and DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical
Company. In addition to the business leadership he has brought to
his various roles, Dr. Stein has also participated in the discovery
and development of six marketed medicines.
"We are privileged to have such a knowledgeable industry leader
as Dr. Stein join our Board," commented Dr. Errol De Souza,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Archemix. "Dr. Stein's
extensive scientific and operational expertise makes him a valuable
addition to our Board of Directors. Further, his pharmaceutical
and drug development and regulatory expertise will serve Archemix
well as we continue to rapidly advance our aptamer product pipeline."
"Archemix is at an exciting stage of its development," said
Dr. Stein. "The company's work with aptamers is demonstrating
their potential as therapeutics for the treatment of acute and chronic
diseases. Archemix holds a dominant intellectual property position,
placing it at the forefront of the development of therapeutic aptamers.
I look forward to lending my experience and perspective to the management
team at Archemix."
After receiving undergraduate degrees in
biology and chemistry from Indiana University, Dr. Stein studied
at Duke University, where
he received a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology and an M.D.
He completed residency training and is board certified in anatomic
and clinical pathology. He joined the pharmaceutical industry
in
1982 at Merck Laboratories.
About Aptamers
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids that form well-defined three dimensional
shapes, allowing them to bind target molecules in a manner that is conceptually
similar to antibodies. Aptamers combine the optimal characteristics of small
molecules and antibodies, including high specificity and affinity, chemical
stability, low immunogenicity and the ability to target protein-protein interactions.
In contrast to monoclonal antibodies, aptamers are chemically synthesized rather
than biologically expressed, offering a significant cost advantage.
About Archemix Corp.
Archemix Corp. is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. The company's mission is to develop aptamers as a class of
directed therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of human disease.
Because of their unique properties and proven efficacy, aptamers offer an
alternative to biologics and small molecules in numerous applications and
offer the potential to be a major class of drugs for the treatment of unmet
medical needs.
Archemix's aptamer expertise is complemented by
a robust patent estate comprised of over 220 issued and 230 pending
patents covering the identification, composition, and use of therapeutic
aptamers. In addition to the company's core aptamer generation technology,
Archemix possesses strong expertise in both pre-clinical and clinical
drug development. Further information on Archemix can be found at www.archemix.com.
For more information about Archemix or aptamers,
or to speak with Dr. De Souza, please contact Davia Temin or Suzanne
Oaks of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@teminandco.com.
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