Trevena, Inc. announces Scientific Advisory Board

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Trevena, Inc., a specialist GPCR drug discovery company, today announced that John LaMattina and Robert Ruffolo will join scientific founders Howard Rockman and Robert Lefkowitz on its Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Lefkowitz, who is currently James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Duke University Medical Center and an Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was recently recognized with the National Medal of Science for his pioneering work understanding the G-protein coupled receptor system and its application in medical science. "My most recent research could have applications for a whole new generation of drugs acting on these receptors," he said. "Trevena will make that happen."

Following undergraduate and medical studies at Columbia University in New York, and Residency training in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Lefkowitz spent two years at the NIH. After completing his clinical training in medicine and cardiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he joined Duke in 1973, where he continues to teach in addition to conducting research. His research has focused on the molecular structure and regulatory mechanisms controlling the function of the seven transmembrane family of receptors.

Dr. Rockman is the Edward S. Orgain Professor of Medicine at Duke University, and Chief of Cardiology, with joint appointments in the Departments of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. He received his MD from McGill University in 1983, having completed medical residency at the Montreal General Hospital in 1987, and a Cardiology Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego in 1991. Dr. Rockman's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, and the role of G-protein-coupled receptors in the development of disease. His recent work led to the discovery of a totally new signaling mechanism for these receptors, which is independent of G-protein activation, and opens the door for identification of a new breed of drug molecules that leverage the pathway.

Dr. John L. LaMattina is the former President of Global Research and Development at Pfizer. He retired from this position in December, 2007. Dr. LaMattina was at Pfizer for 30 years, holding positions of increasing responsibility in Drug Discovery and Development, having joined as a medicinal chemist in 1977. Dr. LaMattina graduated cum laude from Boston College in 1971 with a B.S. in Chemistry, and received a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1975. He then moved on to Princeton University as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, before joining Pfizer where his research involved seeking new therapeutics for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and asthma. Dr. LaMattina serves on the Board of Directors of Neurogen and Human Genome Sciences and serves as Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Committee for Bilcare. He also is a member of the Board of Trustees for Boston College and for the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Robert R. Ruffolo, Jr., is a Retired President of R&D at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, where he spent 7 years and still acts as a consultant. He joined Wyeth after 17 years at SmithKline Beecham (now GSK) and 6 years at Lilly Research Laboratories. During his celebrated career in Pharmaceutical R&D, Dr. Ruffolo played a leading role in the discovery and/or development of a number of now marketed products, including carvedilol (Coreg/Kredex/Dilatrend) for the treatment of congestive heart failure, acute MI and hypertension, dobutamine (Dobutrex) for heart failure, ropinerole (Requip) for Parkinson's Disease, and eprosartan (Teveten) for hypertension.

Dr. Ruffolo received his B.S. degree in Pharmacy in 1973, and his Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology in 1976, both from The Ohio State University. He has authored nearly 500 full-length publications, and has edited 17 books. He was the Editor-in-Chief of three international pharmacology journals, has served on the editorial boards of 28 other international scientific journals, and on the boards and committees of several industry organizations. Dr Ruffolo has won numerous prestigious awards honoring his outstanding contributions to the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently, he received the 2008 Scrip Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2008 Discoverer's Award for the discovery and development of Coreg (carvedilol).

Trevena, Inc. successfully raised $24m in Series A financing in March 2008. Alta Partners and Healthcare Ventures led the round as part of an investor syndicate that included New Enterprise Associates and Polaris Venture Partners. "We are delighted to be working with such an accomplished and experienced group of advisors," said Maxine Gowen, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Trevena, Inc.

About Trevena, Inc.

Trevena Inc. is a Philadelphia-based drug discovery company focused on developing pharmaceutical products targeting G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Pharmaceutical products that target GPCRs represent over 40% of marketed drugs today. Trevena's drug discovery platform, licensed from Duke University Medical Center, is based on extensive research from the laboratories of scientists Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D. and Howard A. Rockman, M.D. Trevena's drug discovery portfolio is currently focused on programs for cardiovascular and CNS indications. Trevena is privately held. (www.trevenainc.com)


    Source: Trevena, Inc.