Ischemix Appoints Robert DuFresne as Chief Executive Officer

MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ischemix, a biotechnology company developing drugs to reduce cell and organ damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury, announced today the appointment of Robert “Duffy” DuFresne as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. DuFresne has served on Ischemix’s Board of Directors since May of 2007 and will continue in this role moving forward. Reinier Beeuwkes, PhD, prior Chief Executive Officer of Ischemix, will continue to advise the Company as President and Chairman.

“I am thrilled to join Ischemix at such an exciting juncture in the Company’s history”

“I am thrilled to join Ischemix at such an exciting juncture in the Company’s history,” said Mr. DuFresne. “Ischemix’s compounds have shown great promise as protective agents in preclinical models of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and the Company’s lead candidate, CMX-2043, demonstrated a very favorable safety profile in Phase 1 healthy volunteer safety studies. I look forward to working with the talented scientific and business team at Ischemix to advance the Company’s novel pipeline, including the initiation of Phase 2a clinical proof of concept studies for CMX-2043 this summer.”

Mr. DuFresne brings more than 25 years of senior-level biopharmaceutical experience across business development, finance and general management. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Pacgen Biopharmaceuticals. Prior to that, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Zelos Therapeutics and ConjuChem, Inc. and held the positions of President and Chief Operating Officer at Anika Therapeutics and Senior Vice President of Business Development at Alpha Beta Technology. Mr. DuFresne's early experience includes management roles at the Canadian subsidiary of Boots Pharmaceutical and at Baxter International. He received his MBA from the Harvard Business School.

About Ischemix:

Ischemix is a privately-held drug discovery company developing a portfolio of therapeutic compounds to reduce and/or prevent cell and organ damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury caused by cardiac surgery, heart attack and stenting procedures. The Company’s lead candidate, CMX-2043, has successfully completed Phase 1 safety studies and is expected to enter Phase 2a clinical proof of concept studies in mid-2009. The Company was founded based on research conducted at laboratories associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. www.ischemix.com