Rinat Neuroscience Adds Chief Business Officer and Vice President, Clinical Development.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

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PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2004

Rinat Neuroscience Corporation, a developer of protein-based drugs for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system, today announced the appointment

of two senior executives to the company's management team. David W. Pritchard has joined the company as chief business officer with responsibility for business development and finance. Patricia Ann Walicke, M.D., Ph.D. has been appointed vice president, clinical development.

"David Pritchard joins Rinat with over 25 years of experience in general management, business development and financial management within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry," said Ron Eastman, chief executive officer of Rinat. "His extensive experience in corporate partnering and finance, including the negotiation of major corporate partnerships and executing of financings, will serve Rinat well as we seek to realize the value of our product portfolio and grow the company.

Mr. Eastman continued, "Similarly, Patricia Walicke has considerable clinical and regulatory expertise in the development of protein-based therapeutics earned at one of the biotechnology industry's premier companies. Moreover, she has a strong background in neurobiology, with extensive experience gained in both industry and academia. I am very pleased to welcome these two experienced executives to the Rinat management team."

David W. Pritchard

David Pritchard's experience spans all phases of product development and commercialization from startup through clinical development to the marketplace. Most recently, he was senior vice president and chief financial officer at Matrix Pharmaceuticals and managed that company's sale to Chiron Corporation in 2002. Prior to that he served as vice president of business development and finance, and chief financial officer of Metabolex, Inc. from 1992 to 2000, where he negotiated four major worldwide corporate alliances with major pharmaceutical companies and completed four successful rounds of financing. Mr. Pritchard began his biotechnology industry career at Triton Biosciences, Inc. from 1984 to 1992, as one of the company's founding managers, and successfully managed the sale of Triton's businesses in several parts to Schering A.G., CIBA-Geigy, Bayer and Schering Plough for over $400 million. He holds an MBA degree from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell.