CyDex, Inc. Names Jose L. Rodriguez Vice President Of Business Development

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- CyDex, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing improved products through innovative drug delivery, today announced Jose L. Rodriguez has been named Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Rodriguez joins CyDex from Perrigo Company, where he was Business Development Manager for Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Rodriguez will lead portfolio management and partnering relationships for CyDex, including product candidate selection, market research and planning, and strategic alliances and licensing. The CyDex pipeline includes drugs under development for asthma, depression, allergy, cancer, arrhythmia and other diseases using the company's advanced CAPTISOL(R) technology, which improves the delivery of insoluble and unstable active drug ingredients.

"We are pleased to welcome Jose Rodriguez, who will help drive the growth of our pipeline as we focus on commercializing new products that bring value to the market. He comes to CyDex with a track record of success in building Perrigo's pharmaceutical portfolio and in managing international relationships," said John M. Siebert, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

As Business Development Manager for Pharmaceuticals at Perrigo from 2003 to 2005, Mr. Rodriguez managed a pipeline of more than 20 ANDA and 505b2 projects; negotiated and structured licensing and joint venture agreements; and developed product launch, growth and life-cycle management strategies. From 2001 to 2003, he served in marketing and business development with FMC Corporation.

From 1994 to 1999, Mr. Rodriguez was general manager of UCP, SA and the wholesale division of Office Depot Mexico, coordinating growth initiatives and spearheading the merger of his family's business into a major multinational company.

He earned a B.S. degree in Marketing and General Management from Tulane University and an M.B.A. in Finance, Marketing and Strategic Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

CyDex, Inc. is bringing important new medications to patients by developing its own pipeline of proprietary products with advanced drug delivery solutions and by partnering with the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Two Captisol-Enabled(R) products are marketed globally by Pfizer Inc. In addition, CyDex has agreements with Allergan, Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Daiichi-Suntory Pharma Co., Ltd., of Japan; Merck & Co., Inc.; Mitsubishi Corporation, of Japan; OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; PTC Pharma AG, of Switzerland; TargeGen, Inc.; Taisho Pharmaceuticals of Japan and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., of Israel. CyDex also has clinical use agreements with major pharma and biotech companies. CyDex is a privately owned company located in suburban Kansas City. To learn more about our partnerships and pipeline, visit www.cydexinc.com.

CAPTISOL and Captisol-Enabled are registered trademarks of CyDex, Inc.

CONTACT: John M. Siebert of CyDex, Inc., +1-913-402-3550, orjsiebert@cydexinc.com

Web site: http://www.cydexinc.com//