Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Appoints Michael Curtis, Ph.D., as Vice President, Product Development

Company Expands Executive Leadership Team in Preparation for Entering Clinic in 2011

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases, today announced the appointment of Michael Curtis, Ph.D., to vice president, product development. In this new role, Dr. Curtis will be responsible for leading the company’s product development strategy and will oversee advancement of its preclinical programs, IND-enabling studies and clinical trials. He will report to Michael Jirousek, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and co-founder of Catabasis.

“Michael brings to Catabasis a unique skill set and broad experience in pharmaceutical research and development, and I am pleased to welcome him to the management team,” said Jill C. Milne, Ph.D., chief executive officer and co-founder of Catabasis. “Michael’s leadership experience and strong track record of moving products from discovery into and through clinical development will be of significant value to the company as we continue to progress our CAT 1000 pre-clinical programs in inflammation, and prepare to initiate IND-enabling studies in type 2 diabetes next year.”

Dr. Curtis brings to Catabasis more than 19 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and he has been integrally involved in the development of over 15 unique compounds in the preclinical, clinical and commercial settings. He spent the last five years at Infinity Pharmaceuticals in positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as vice president, pharmaceutical development. In this position, Dr. Curtis was responsible for CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls), DMPK (drug, metabolism and pharmacokinetics) and clinical pharmacology. During his tenure at Infinity, he played a central role in the submission of four investigational new drug applications. Dr. Curtis received a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology (protein biochemistry) from Upstate Medical University.

“I am delighted to join Catabasis to further the company’s product development strategy,” said Dr. Curtis. “There is a substantial need for the development of new therapies to treat inflammation, which has been found to be an underlying cause of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and others. Catabasis’ unique approach to developing new chemical entities that combine omega-3 fatty acids with other well-characterized compounds to treat inflammatory and metabolic diseases is extremely exciting. The company has made tremendous progress advancing its preclinical programs, which have yielded very promising findings. I look forward to working closely with Jill and Mike during this exciting time in the company’s evolution.”

About Catabasis

Catabasis is dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative, effective and safe medicines to treat inflammatory and metabolic diseases. The company has assembled a team of passionate and experienced scientists who are committed to improving the lives of patients. Using its proprietary Catabasis SMART-linker technology, Catabasis has developed a pipeline of molecules that amplify the beneficial effects of salicylates and omega-3 fatty acids to target the underlying etiologies of a spectrum of complex human diseases. The Catabasis approach dramatically enhances the therapeutic potential of DHA and EPA, two essential fatty acids found in fish oil, by improving the delivery, potency and efficacy. Catabasis was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. More information on the company can be found on its Web site at www.catabasispharma.com.



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KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Massachusetts

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Biotechnology  Clinical Trials  Fitness & Nutrition  Pharmaceutical  Other Health

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