Nile Announces Death of Executive Chairman Richard B. Brewer, A Longtime Biotechnology Leader and Innovator

SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: NLTX), a biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapeutics for heart failure patients, today announced that Richard B. Brewer, 61, its Executive Chairman of the Board, has died after a long and courageous battle with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.

"Dick embodied the bold creativity and passion for patients that make the biotechnology industry so great. His leadership for 35 years was marked by an unfettered energy and drive for excellence that will no doubt endure in those of us who were so fortunate to be his colleague," said Darlene P. Horton, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Nile and a long-time colleague of Brewer. "Dick was a problem solver like no other and was always at the vanguard in areas of greatest unmet medical need. He led his own battle with cancer always in and around the cutting edge, blessing him and his family with many more years of his own life and helping to provide research data to benefit other cancer patients now and in the future."

Brewer joined Nile Board in July 2010 as its Executive Chairman after nearly 35 years in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. His leadership as management or on company Boards at several companies including Genentech, Heartport, Scios, Arca, Dendreon, and Corus has led to the availability of several breakthrough drugs such as human growth hormone for children's growth disorders; the first new drug in 30 years for cystic fibrosis; the first new drug in over a decade for heart failure; pioneering clot-busting drugs for heart attacks and strokes; and other first-in-class drugs and devices for cancer and heart disease. As an industry advocate, Brewer was a past chairman of the American Heart Association's Pharmaceutical Roundtable; served as an advisory board member for the Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions, a non-profit organization dedicated to expediting the discovery and development of life-saving drugs; was a member of the Board of Directors of Stanford Research Institute; served as a member of the Board of Directors of The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium; and served as a member of the Board of Advisors for Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Business, Biotechnology Section.  

About Nile Therapeutics

Nile Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops innovative products for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and other areas of unmet medical needs. Nile is initially focusing its efforts on developing its lead compound, cenderitide, a novel rationally designed chimeric peptide in clinical studies for the treatment of heart failure. More information on Nile can be found at http://www.nilethera.com.

SOURCE Nile Therapeutics, Inc.