InteKrin Therapeutics Appoints Linda Higgins, PhD as President and Chief Executive Officer. Company Founder Denny Lanfear Named Chairman of the Board.

LOS ALTOS, Calif., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- InteKrin Therapeutics Inc. announced today that Linda Slanec Higgins, PhD has been named President and Chief Executive Officer. Since joining InteKrin in early 2007 Linda has had increasing responsibilities in key areas including Product Development, CMC and Regulatory Affairs; she most recently served as Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

"Linda's contributions to InteKrin's progress have been extraordinarily impactful and critical to our success," said Denny Lanfear, InteKrin Founder, former President and Chief Executive Officer. "Her leadership and capabilities have allowed us to move INT131 forward from Phase 2 to Phase 3 over the past three years, and will serve her well as we take InteKrin and INT131 forward."

"I look forward to working with the outstanding InteKrin team to move INT131 into Phase 3," said Dr. Higgins. "As we prepare for the future we will continue to develop the company in key areas. InteKrin is dedicated to advancing therapies for significant medical needs, and we are excited about the potential of INT131 to offer Type 2 Diabetes patients a safer treatment for insulin resistance."

Mr. Lanfear has been named Chairman of the Board. Under Mr. Lanfear's five year leadership the company has been taken from inception through a successful End-Of-Phase-2 meeting with the FDA and into Phase 3 with a major therapeutic area lead product of high market potential. "This management transition is part of InteKrin's plans to continue to develop the organization consistent with the future mission. I look forward to supporting Dr. Higgins and her team as they address the challenges ahead," commented Mr. Lanfear.

About INT131

INT131 is a next-generation insulin sensitizer currently in Phase 2b testing that addresses insulin resistance, a key etiological feature in the onset and subsequent progression of type 2 diabetes. Treating and improving insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients by activating PPAR-gamma is an important therapeutic tool for physicians, providing powerful glucose control and durability of effect. As a SPPARM, INT131 selectively modulates PPAR-gamma, thereby enabling the separation of PPAR gamma anti-diabetic efficacy from the well recognized TZD side effects.

About InteKrin (www.InteKrin.com)

InteKrin Therapeutics is a privately-held clinical-stage drug development company focused on diabetes, obesity and metabolic disease. InteKrin's business strategy is to build a robust portfolio of high value products by in-licensing clinical-stage therapeutic candidates that address significant unmet medical needs and rapidly move them through critical development stages. InteKrin's team of world-class scientific and medical experts includes veterans from several successful BioPharma organizations, internationally recognized experts in nuclear receptors and metabolism, top scientists formerly with the Food and Drug Administration and key clinical and commercialization leaders.

To learn more about InteKrin, visit www.InteKrin.com.

SOURCE InteKrin Therapeutics Inc.