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 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.comescott@theruthgroup.com Janine McCargo (media) (646) 536-7033 jmccargo@theruthgroup.com
Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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, forQuark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Web site: http://www.quarkpharma.com/
