CureDuchenne Appoints Michael Kelly as Chief Scientific Officer

NEWPORT BEACH, CA, DECEMBER 13, 2011: CureDuchenne, a national nonprofit that funds research to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, today announced the appointment of Dr. Michael G. Kelly as Chief Scientific Officer, a key scientific position within the Duchenne community. Kelly, a senior pharmaceutical executive, brings more than 25 years experience in drug discovery and development to the organization. He will help advance drug development programs and help identify new drug targets that exhibit potential to transform the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

In addition, Kelly will be responsible for CureDuchenne’s Drug Discovery and Development Program to help drive research to market for treatments and ultimately a cure for Duchenne. Before joining CureDuchenne, Kelly served as President and U.S. site head of Renovis, Inc. and has held senior positions at Amgen, Inc., Wyeth (Pfizer) and Wellcome (GlaxoSmithKline).

Kelly holds a PhD from the University of Southampton (U.K.), held research positions at the University of Michigan and University of Nottingham, is an inventor on more than 100 patents and is widely published in peer reviewed journals.

CureDuchenne, a national nonprofit organization located in Newport Beach, Calif., is gaining international attention for its efforts to raise funds and awareness for Duchenne – a devastating and lethal muscle disease in children. One in every 3,500 births results in a child being afflicted (mostly boys) with the disease. Over 24,000 boys are living with the disease in the United States alone, and most will not survive their teenage years.

The funds CureDuchenne raises support the most promising research projects aimed at treating and curing the disease with the help of its distinguished panel of Scientific Advisors from around the world. To date, seven research projects have made their way into human clinical trials with support from CureDuchenne. This accelerated push to move research from the lab into clinical trials could save the lives of those afflicted and give them hope for halting the progress of the disease. Very few health-related nonprofits have been as successful in being a catalyst for human clinical trials. CureDuchenne also works tirelessly to bring awareness to the disease through extensive outreach, promotions and celebrity endorsements.

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