Idera Pharmaceuticals Appoints Rahul Jasuja, Ph.D., Vice President of Corporate Development
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2009-- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDRA), a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of DNA- and RNA-based drug candidates targeted to Toll-like Receptors (TLR), announced today the appointment of Rahul Jasuja, Ph.D., as Vice President of Corporate Development. Dr. Jasuja previously served as Managing Director, Life Sciences at MDB Capital Group, a life sciences and technology Merchant and Investment Bank located in Santa Monica, CA.
"Rahul brings extensive and relevant scientific understanding and experience in the capital markets to Idera," commented Sudhir Agrawal, D.Phil., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. "We welcome Rahul to our team and expect him to play a key role in the Company as we continue to advance our drug discovery and development programs with agonists, antagonists, and antisense targeted to TLRs."
"I have been impressed with Idera's chemistry-based approach to identifying agonists, antagonists, and antisense targeted to TLRs which has potential in creating a novel class of drugs for a broad range of diseases," commented Dr. Jasuja. "I am excited to be part of a team with such an impressive track record, and I look forward to participating in advancing the goals of the Company."
Dr. Jasuja joined MDB Capital Group in 2004 and most recently served as Managing Director, Life Sciences Investment Banking. Previously, he led its life sciences research effort as Senior Biotechnology Research Analyst. He conducted due-diligence on private companies and initiated research reports on several public biotechnology companies, including Idera. His past experience includes serving as Senior Biotechnology Research Analyst at Rodman & Renshaw and Techvest LLC. Throughout his career, Dr. Jasuja has conducted equity research, due-diligence and consulting for institutional investors and moderated therapeutic and business panels at major investor conferences. Dr. Jasuja received his Ph.D. in Immunology at Tufts Medical School, Boston, and carried out his post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, Boston. He is a member of the American Association of Immunologists and American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Dr. Jasuja will be joining the Company January 1, 2010.
About Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Idera Pharmaceuticals develops drug candidates to treat infectious diseases, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases, and for use as vaccine adjuvants. Our proprietary drug candidates are designed to modulate specific Toll-like Receptors, which are a family of immune system receptors that direct immune system responses. Our pioneering DNA and RNA chemistry expertise enables us to create drug candidates for internal development and generates opportunities for multiple collaborative alliances. For more information, visit www.iderapharma.com.
Idera Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "estimates," "intends," "should," "could," "will," "may," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Idera's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including whether products based on Idera's technology will advance into or through the clinical trial process on a timely basis or at all and receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether, if the Company's products receive approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; whether the Company's collaborations with Merck KGaA and an affiliate of Merck & Co. Inc. will be successful; whether the patents and patent applications owned or licensed by the Company will protect the Company's technology and prevent others from infringing it; whether Idera's cash resources will be sufficient to fund the Company's operations; and such other important factors as are set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in Idera's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2009, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. Idera disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Source: Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.