FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and
developing novel RNA interference-based therapeutics, announced today that
J. Joseph Marr, M.D. has been appointed as the Company's new Chief Medical
Officer.
In this capacity, Dr. Marr will play a key role in supporting Quark's
current clinical programs and in outlining the goals and plans of the
Company's pipeline.
Prior to joining Quark, Dr. Marr served as President of BioMed, LLC, a
medical and biotechnology consulting company, since 1999. He simultaneously
served as General Partner of Pacific Rim Ventures, a venture capital firm,
since 2000. Previously, Dr. Marr held positions at Immulogic Pharmaceutical
Corporation from 1996 to 1999, serving most recently as President, CEO, and
member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Marr previously served as Vice
President, Research and Development of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and
as Senior Vice President, Discovery Research at Monsanto Searle Research
and Development. Dr. Marr received a Doctorate of Medicine from The Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine and has held professorial positions
at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, St. Louis University
School of Medicine, and Washington University School of Medicine.
Daniel Zurr, CEO of Quark Pharmaceuticals, commented, "Dr. Marr brings
to Quark nearly 20 years experience in clinical research positions at note
worthy pharmaceutical companies, including Immulogic and Ribozyme. His
extensive experience as a consultant to global pharmaceutical companies,
combined with his past work as a practicing physician, adds to the depth of
our team as we aggressively expand our clinical trials program. With his
addition, we are well prepared to meet the increasing workload of our
extensive clinical pipeline."
Currently Quark is conducting a Phase I/IIa clinical trial for its lead
product candidate, RTP801i-14, a siRNA compound for the treatment of wet
age- related macular degeneration exclusively licensed to Pfizer. The
Company expects to complete this trial and to initiate a Phase I trial of
its second siRNA compound, AKIi-5, for the prevention of acute renal
failure in the second half of 2007. Additionally, Quark is conducting
preclinical studies of its proprietary compound, AHLi-11, for the treatment
and prevention of acute hearing loss associated with acoustic trauma and
cancer therapeutics. The Company expects to file an IND within 2007 for
AHLi-11 for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced hearing loss.
About Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics based on
its proprietary gene discovery science and technology, with an initial
focus on drug candidates that work through the natural mechanism in the
cell known as RNA interference, or RNAi, for the treatment of diseases
associated with oxidative stress. Quark believes that its proprietary
target gene discovery platform, BiFAR(TM), combined with its ability to
design and successfully deliver synthetic molecules of the new class of
RNAi therapeutics known as small-interfering RNA, or siRNA, to specific
organs in the body, enables the Company to rapidly develop drug candidates.
Quark has two internally discovered and developed lead product candidates:
RTP801i-14 in phase I/IIa clinical trial for the treatment of wet
age-related macular degeneration, and AKIi-5 for the prevention of acute
renal failure. The Company has licensed RTP801i-14 to Pfizer on an
exclusive worldwide basis. Quark has, in addition, a product candidate
portfolio of RNAi therapeutics based on novel targets and therapeutic
concepts discovered using BiFAR(TM) and designed for the treatment of
oxidative stress associated diseases of the inner ear, lungs and additional
organs of the body.
Quark is headquartered in Fremont, California and operates research and
development facilities in Boulder, Colorado and Ness-Ziona, Israel.
Additional information is available at http://www.quarkpharma.com
Forward-looking statement
Various statements in this release concerning the Company's future
expectations, plans and prospects, including its intention to publicly
offer shares of its common stock, constitute forward-looking statements for
the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from
those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various
important factors, including risks related to fluctuations in our stock
price, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the "Certain Factors
That May Affect Future Results" section of the Company's most recent
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. In addition, any forward- looking statements represent the
Company's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as
representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company does not
assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The Ruth Group
Gavin Samuels Stephanie Carrington / Elizabeth Scott
(646) 502-7488 (investors)
GSamuels@quarkpharma.com (646) 536-7017 / 7014
scarrington@theruthgroup.com
escott@theruthgroup.com
Janine McCargo (media)
(646) 536-7033
jmccargo@theruthgroup.com
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SOURCE Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.quarkpharma.com
CONTACT:
Gavin Samuels of Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
+1-646-502-7488, GSamuels@quarkpharma.com; or Investors,
Stephanie Carrington, +1-646-536-7017,
scarrington@theruthgroup.com, or Elizabeth Scott,
+1-646-536-7014, escott@theruthgroup.com; or Media, Janine
McCargo, +1-646-536-7033, jmccargo@theruthgroup.com, all of The
Ruth Group, for Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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