News/Press

December 6, 2007

Sequoia Pharmaceuticals Files Second IND in One Year

Novel Drug to Enhance the Pharmacokinetic Properties of Co-Administered Therapeutics.

Sequoia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that is has filed its second Investigational New Drug application (IND) with the FDA for 2007. This is a request to begin clinical trials in humans. The subject of this IND is a drug which is designed to improve the effectiveness of other, co-administered drugs. It is also expected to reduce intra-patient variability with respect to how quickly co-administered therapeutics are eliminated from the body.

The benefits are expected to be a decreased pill burden for the patient and a more predictable dosing regimen for the prescribing physician.

This drug, SPI-452, is designed to permit less-frequent dosing of a co-administered therapeutic, and has no other known activity

Sequoia’s first IND, for a novel HIV protease inhibitor, was filed in January 2007. Phase 1 clinical trials continue to yield favorable results.

Steve Skolsky, CEO, said “I am impressed with the accomplishments of the teams at Sequoia. To have discovered and developed two drug candidates within five years of founding and to file two INDs in one year is an impressive demonstration of the commitment and capability of the entire organization. We look forward to advancing both drugs through early development.”

October 29, 2007

Sequoia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the appointment of Steven D. Skolsky as its President and Chief Executive Officer. He will also serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

“Sequoia is pleased to have recruited such an outstanding, talented leader as Steven Skolsky,” said Chris Mirabelli, Chairman of the Board of Sequoia Pharmaceuticals. “Steve has an impressive record of success within the pharmaceutical industry. The combination of his leadership and management experience, as well as his business acumen, makes Steve uniquely qualified to lead us through the exciting times ahead.”

“Sequoia possesses an extraordinary scientific pedigree, and a very attractive research portfolio. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Sequoia, and to build on its outstanding technological progress as we move towards commercialization”, said Mr. Skolsky.

Mr. Skolsky brings over twenty-five years of U.S. and international experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology arena. He most recently served as chief executive officer of Trimeris, a biotechnology company specializing in HIV therapeutics. Previously Mr. Skolsky had a distinguished career at GlaxoSmithKline where he served as GSK’s Senior Vice President of Global Commercial Strategy responsible for world-wide clinical development and product strategy. He also served as managing director of GSK’s operations in Australia and New Zealand and previously was Vice President of Sales and Marketing of the HIV/Oncology Division at Glaxo Wellcome. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

June 2007

Sequoia Pharmaceuticals has initiated Phase 1 Clinical Trials on its novel HIV protease inhibitor, and these trials are progressing exceptionally well.

January 20, 2007

Sequoia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that is has raised $35 million in a Series C financing that will be used to further develop its pipeline candidates for the treatment of drug resistant HIV infection, including the company’s two lead clinical candidates, an HIV protease inhibitor as well as a novel therapeutic agent: a pharmacokinetic enhancer.