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Fate Therapeutics Adds Pratik Multani, M.D., M.S., as Vice President Clinical Development to Advance Upcoming Clinical Programs of Stem Cell Modulators

Posted on: Monday, 18 May 2009, 10:55 CDT

LA JOLLA, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has further expanded the Company's executive team with the addition of Pratik Multani, M.D., M.S., as Vice President of Clinical Development. With more than a decade of clinical development experience, Dr. Multani will lead Fate Therapeutics' upcoming clinical trials of Stem Cell Modulators (SCMs), small molecules and biologics that guide cell fate for therapeutic purposes. SCMs can potentially be applied in many areas, including regenerative medicine, hematological diseases, metastatic cancer, traumatic injury and degenerative diseases.

"Fate Therapeutics has been singularly focused on interrogating adult stem cell and induced pluripotent stem cell biology to find small molecule and biologic drug candidates that can modulate cell fate to develop tomorrow's medicines," said Paul Grayson, President and CEO of Fate Therapeutics. "As we are rapidly preparing to advance the Company's first drug candidate into clinical trials, Dr. Multani's successful clinical development experience and distinguished medical training will be a tremendous asset to drive our clinical programs forward."

Fate Therapeutics is utilizing its adult stem cell biology engine and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology platform to develop SCMs that can direct adult stem cell proliferation and function. Adult stem cells are naturally-occurring cells found in almost all tissues or organs in the body and are primarily responsible for maintaining and repairing their native tissue. An adult stem cell has unique properties, in that it can renew itself and differentiate to become some or all of the major specialized cell types of the particular tissue or organ in which it is found. The discovery of a number of conserved mechanisms from developmental biology and tissue repair has led to the identification of small molecules and biologics that can direct stem cell proliferation and function. Fate Therapeutics is developing these small molecule and biologic SCMs to modulate the activity of adult stem cells to stimulate healing or block cancer growth.

"Fate's distinct and unique approach of using small molecules and biologics in stem cell medicine provides a well-defined regulatory path and allows the Company to move quickly into clinical programs to ultimately meet the needs of patients," said Dr. Multani. "This role represents to me one of the most exciting in the industry as we are applying the power of small molecule and biologic drug development, where we can use clearly defined safety and efficacy endpoints, to the revolutionary field of stem cell biology in order to develop new medicines for diseases and conditions that currently have limited to no treatment options."

Prior to joining Fate Therapeutics, Dr. Multani was Vice President of Translational Medicine at Kalypsys, Inc. since 2007, where he advanced the development of multiple compounds in the therapeutic areas of pain and inflammation and metabolic diseases. From 2005 to 2007 as Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and then Chief Medical Officer at Kanisa Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Multani led the clinical development of zosuquidar as well as a companion diagnostic in acute myeloid leukemia. From 2004 to 2005 as Vice President of Clinical Development at Salmedix, he led three clinical development programs in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. From 1999 to 2004 advancing from Associate Director of Oncology and Hematology to Senior Director of Medical Research at Biogen-Idec, Dr. Multani led or provided strategic direction for multiple drug development programs in Phase 1 to Phase 4 clinical trials, including Zevalin(R) and Rituxan(R).

Before his career in industry, Dr. Multani held academic and clinical positions as an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and assistant in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. His postdoctoral training includes a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Dana-Farber/Partners and an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Multani received his M.S. in clinical epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health, his M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and he graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a B.S. in chemistry and biology.

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.

Fate Therapeutics is interrogating adult stem cell biology and applying induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology to develop Stem Cell Modulators (SCMs), small molecule or biologic compounds that guide cell fate for therapeutic purposes. Fate's approach has broad therapeutic potential in areas such as regenerative medicine, hematological diseases, metastatic cancer, traumatic injury and degenerative diseases. The Company's first therapeutic candidate is scheduled to enter clinical trials in early 2009 in hematopoietic stem cell support. In addition, Fate Therapeutics and Stemgent have formed an alliance - Catalyst - a collaborative program to provide its partners with first access to the most advanced induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technologies for drug discovery and development. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in La Jolla, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.fatetherapeutics.com.

Fate Therapeutics along with Stemgent, Genzyme, Burrill & Company and WIRED Magazine, will be featured in a panel presentation entitled "Mastering Your (Cell) Fate: Stem Cells, iPSCs and the Future of Medicine" on May 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. at the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta, GA.

SOURCE Fate Therapeutics, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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