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Seaside Therapeutics Announces Key Leadership Appointment of Dr. Timothy D. Ocain to the Position of Senior Vice President, Research & Development

Posted on: Tuesday, 22 August 2006, 15:00 CDT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Seaside Therapeutics announces the appointment of Timothy, D. Ocain, Ph.D., to the position of Senior Vice President, Research & Development. Dr. Ocain brings over twenty years experience in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry to his new role. At Seaside, Dr. Ocain will be responsible for advancing key compounds through preclinical development and first-in-human studies, as well as oversight of strategic corporate development activities.

Dr. Ocain joins Seaside from Millennium Pharmaceuticals, where he held several leadership positions over his eight-year tenure. While at Millennium Dr. Ocain directed all pharmacology, cellular immunology, and biochemistry efforts in the Inflammation area, playing a principal role in the delivery of multiple compounds suitable for clinical development. Dr. Ocain has held senior drug discovery positions in the biotech sector as well as large pharma, with extensive project and line management responsibilities. His background includes seven years at Wyeth-Ayerst Research engaged in Cardiovascular, CNS and Immunology drug discovery. Prior to joining Millennium, he spent six years at Procept, Inc., where he served as Vice President, Chemistry and Structural Biology, led all medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, and structural biology, and oversaw discovery and development of new agents for Immunology and HIV targets.

"Tim will assume a key leadership role with Seaside, from strategic planning and organizational development, to drug discovery and development," said Dr. Randall Carpenter, the company's Co-Founder, President and CEO, "Tim's success in advancing new compounds into the clinic, coupled with his strong analytical and strategic planning skills makes him an invaluable addition to our team."

Dr. Ocain earned his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed by post-doctoral research at the University of Minnesota. He has co-authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and holds a number of patents.

About Seaside Therapeutics

Seaside Therapeutics was founded to translate exciting new brain research, including the promising discoveries of Scientific Founder Professor Mark Bear, into effective therapeutics for patients with disorders of brain development such as fragile X syndrome and autism. Dr. Bear, Picower Professor Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, discovered a link between genetic mutations found in individuals with fragile X syndrome, a specific genetic disorder of brain development, and dysfunction in the metabotropic glutamate (mGluR) neurotransmitter system. Independent international researchers have confirmed that genetic and pharmacologic interventions targeting specific mGluR receptors normalize brain development and behavior in animal models, thus validating the "mGluR theory of fragile X." Our lead selective mGluR compound was licensed from Merck Pharmaceuticals, is in advanced stages of preclinical development and has demonstrated profound efficacy in animal models of fragile X, thus providing compelling justification for advancing this novel treatment into human trials.

Contact: Colleen Baker Phone: 617.374.9009 X1003 Email: cbaker@seasidetherapeutics.com

Seaside Therapeutics

CONTACT: Colleen Baker of Seaside Therapeutics, +1-617-374-9009ext. 1003, cbaker@seasidetherapeutics.com

Web site: http://www.seasidetherapeutics.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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