FierceBiotech Names Intarcia Therapeutics as One of the 'Fierce 15' Biotech Companies of 2007

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A F INTARCIA THERAPEUTICS LOGO INTARCIA THERAPEUTICS LOGO Intarcia logo. (PRNewsFoto/Intarcia)[KG] HAYWARD, CA UNITED STATES 03/01/2005

    EMERYVILLE, Calif., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050301/SFTU126LOGO)
     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).
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SOURCE Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc.