For Immediate Release
FierceBiotech Names Intarcia Therapeutics as One of the 'Fierce 15' Biotech Companies of 2007
June 6, 2007
EMERYVILLE, CA -- Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has been named to the annual FierceBiotech "Fierce 15" list, designating it as one of the top biotech companies of 2007. The editors of FierceBiotech evaluated hundreds of privately-held firms based on company vision, revenue potential, quality of deals, strength of technology, partnerships, and competitive market position. Intarcia Therapeutics was determined to be one of the "fiercest," proven by their creativity and innovations in the industry.
An internationally recognized daily newsletter reaching more than 56,000 biotech and pharma industry professionals, FierceBiotech provides subscribers with a quick authoritative briefing on the day's top stories, with a special focus on drug discovery and clinical trials.
Intarcia Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for patients with chronic diseases in which there are significant unmet medical needs. Intarcia's lead clinical program, Omega DUROS(R) therapy, is being developed to improve the treatment of HCV by offering a more convenient and potentially safer and more effective treatment. Omega DUROS therapy is designed to deliver a continuous and consistent dose of omega interferon for three months via the implantable DUROS device, a drug delivery technology developed by ALZA Corporation, and licensed to Intarcia for use in certain broad fields.
In the first quarter of 2007, Intarcia completed a transaction to raise $50 million to support the development of its lead therapeutic candidates for the treatment of hepatitis C and type 2 diabetes. Recently, Intarcia reported successful results of a phase 2 study of Omega interferon in the treatment of HCV at two major hepatology conferences in Europe and the US. The next phase of development of the HCV program involves evaluation of continuous delivery of omega interferon with the implantable DUROS device. The first clinical study of Omega DUROS therapy is expected to begin this month.
"An innovative approach to treating hepatitis C has delivered supporting data in a series of clinical trials and could help spawn new programs related to sustained delivery of therapeutics," said John Carroll, Editor of FierceBiotech.
Intarcia's drug development expertise and competitive edge are complemented by its ability to stabilize macromolecules and to deliver them in a constant and consistent manner with the proprietary DUROS drug delivery platform. In addition to the clinical stage hepatitis C program, Intarcia is also leveraging the DUROS technology in evaluating other drug development opportunities. The most advanced of these are a type 2 diabetes program focused on the delivery of GLP-1 analogs and mimetics with the DUROS device, and a novel therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
"FierceBiotech is renowned for its advanced understanding of biotechnology companies and the industry as a whole," said Alice Leung, President and CEO of Intarcia. "Being selected as a member of the 'Fierce 15' is an honor that highlights Intarcia's significant progress over the last twelve months and our potential to make a significant impact in a growing number of therapeutic fields."
The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being "fierce" – championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of 'Fierce 15' companies is available in today's issue of FierceBiotech and on the FierceBiotech Web site at http://www.fiercebiotech.com.
About Omega DUROS Therapy
Omega DUROS therapy is being developed to improve the treatment of HCV by offering a more convenient and potentially safer and more effective treatment. Omega DUROS therapy is designed to deliver a continuous and consistent dose of omega interferon for three months via the implantable DUROS device, a drug delivery technology developed by ALZA Corporation, and licensed to Intarcia for use in certain broad fields. Another product incorporating the DUROS technology has already been approved by the FDA for the palliative treatment of prostate cancer. Intarcia is also leveraging the DUROS technology in evaluating other drug development opportunities. The most advanced of these is focused on the delivery of GLP-1 and GLP-1 analogs with the DUROS device for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
About Intarcia
Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for patients with chronic diseases in which there are significant unmet medical needs. Intarcia's drug development expertise and competitive edge are complemented by its ability to stabilize macromolecules and to deliver them in a constant and consistent manner via the proprietary DUROS drug delivery platform. The initial programs that Intarcia is pursuing are in hepatitis C and type 2 diabetes.
About Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a major global public health problem. According to the World Health Organization, more than 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HCV, and three to four million new HCV infections occur annually. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that in the United States approximately 3.2 million people are chronically infected with HCV and approximately 25,000 new patients are infected each year. It is estimated that 10,000 to 12,000 patients die annually in the United States from complications resulting from HCV infection. The current standard of care for treating chronic hepatitis C is combination therapy consisting of pegylated alpha interferon and ribavirin.
About Diabetes
Diabetes affects more than 20 million in the United States and an estimated 194 million adults worldwide. Approximately 90-95 percent of those affected have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 60 percent of people with diabetes do not achieve target hemoglobin A1C levels with their current treatment regimen.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, unpredictable and potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are approximately 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States diagnosed with MS. Most people experience their first symptoms of MS between the ages of 20 and 40. Initial symptom of MS often include vision problems. As the disease progresses, it is characterized by symptoms such as loss of balance, numbness, difficulty walking and even complete paralysis.
DUROS is a registered trademark of ALZA Corporation (Mountain View, CA) licensed to Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. Intarcia and its logo are trademarks of Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. (Emeryville, CA).
About FierceMarkets
FierceMarkets is a digital business media company serving vertical markets with email newsletters, web sites, and live events. Based in Washington, DC, FierceMarkets publications reach more than 450,000 executives in over 100 countries every business day. Current publications include DailyTechRag, FierceBioResearcher, FierceBiotech, FierceCIO, FierceDeveloper, FierceFinance, FierceGameBiz, FierceHealthcare, FierceHealthIT, FierceIPTV, FierceMobileContent, FierceSarbox, FierceVoIP, FierceWiFi, FierceWireless, and IT-Wireless, and The Business VoIP Report.
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