TREVENTIS Corporation Founder Wins Prestigious Discovery Award

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Jan 11, 2011, 03:35 ET

PHILADELPHIA and Nova Scotia, CANADA, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TREVENTIS Corporation founder, Christopher Barden, Ph.D., was awarded "Emerging Professional Award" for his work in computer-aided drug design. Dr. Barden received the Award at the 8th annual Discovery Awards dinner sponsored by Nova Scotia's Discovery Centre. His work has provided TREVENTIS with a proprietary drug discovery system called the Common Conformational Motif (CCM).

In addition, Company founder Sultan Darvesh, M.D., Ph.D., was one of only three finalists in the category of "Professional of Distinction" for his work and recognized expertise in the field of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in diseases of the brain. Dr. Darvesh heads the Company's efforts in developing a diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease.

Finalists and award winners are recognized by the Discovery Centre as the top science practitioners in Nova Scotia. Three finalists are selected among all of Nova Scotia's scientific professionals in both the regular Professional and early-career Emerging categories. The Discovery Awards "recognize the talented individuals...whose exemplary work in science and technology inspire us all," according to its web site (www.discoverycentre.ns.ca). Past recipients of the Discovery Award include TREVENTIS founder Donald Weaver, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist and recognized expert in Alzheimer's disease.

"We are delighted to have the scientific foundation of the Company validated by this prestigious award," said Bill McIntosh, CEO of TREVENTIS Corporation. "That they were nominated for these awards is clear recognition of the significant work they are doing for the Company and for science."

Dr. Barden is part of a team of TREVENTIS chemists and biologists who have discovered and synthesized multiple classes of therapeutic compounds that block the aggregation of misfolding proteins. Misfolding proteins have been implicated in numerous CNS diseases including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, the Company's current focus.

About TREVENTIS Corporation

TREVENTIS Corporation, headquartered in Southeastern Pennsylvania, has research operations in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The company is focused on the discovery and early stage development of disease-modifying, small molecule drugs for Alzheimer's and other protein misfolding diseases such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease. In addition to its therapeutics programs, TREVENTIS has a novel approach to the development of diagnostics for early diagnosis as well as monitoring treatment effects in Alzheimer's disease, MS and primary brain tumors.