NPRO Napro Biotherapeutics (MM)

NaPro Announces Formation of Chemistry Advisory Board BOULDER, Colo., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc. today announced the formation of a Chemistry Advisory Board whose charter is to advise on the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer. The board includes six research scientists with backgrounds in pharmacology, chemistry, formulation science, and drug development. The members are: Valentino Stella, Ph.D. (Chairman), Mitchell Avery, Ph.D., Leslie Gunatilaka, Ph.D., Gunda Georg, Ph.D., Mark Hamann, Ph.D., and Charles Swindell, Ph.D. Brief backgrounds of the advisory board are given below: Valentino J. Stella, Ph.D. (Chairman): Dr. Stella currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansas. He is an expert in the area of chemical kinetics and his research focuses on improving drug delivery through the use of prodrugs and cyclodextrins. He is the inventor or co-inventor of Viread(R), Aquavan(R), Fosphenytoin(R), and Captisol(R). He received his Ph.D. in Analytical Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutics from the University of Kansas. Mitchell A. Avery, Ph.D.: Dr. Avery serves as Interim Chair and Professor at the University of Mississippi's Department of Medicinal Chemistry. He also holds positions on the Editorial Advisory Board of Current Medicinal Chemistry and the Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Avery's research focuses on the discovery and development of anti-infective agents. He received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Leslie Gunatilaka, Ph.D.: Dr. Gunatilaka is Director of the Southwest Center for Natural Products Research and Commercialization and a Professor in the Office of Arid Land Studies at the University of Arizona. Dr. Gunatilaka is also a member of the Arizona Cancer Center, and his research focuses on identifying anti-cancer agents from plants and microorganisms. Dr. Gunatilaka received his Ph.D. from the University of London, England. Gunda I. Georg, Ph.D.: Dr. Georg is University Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Kansas. She is also Director of Drug Discovery at the Higuchi Biosciences Center as well as Director of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the Kansas Masonic Cancer Institute. Dr. Georg is an expert in medicinal chemistry and receives support from the National Institutes of Health for her research in epothilones and taxane chemistry. Mark T. Hamann, Ph.D.: Dr. Hamann is currently an Associate Professor of Pharmacognosy and Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi. Dr. Hamann has done extensive research on the link between marine natural products and the treatment of disease, and he is leading a number of investigations studying their potential as therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Dr. Hamann received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii. Charles S. Swindell, Ph.D.: Dr. Swindell is a Managing Director of DSS Partners, LLC and has extensive experience in the development of oncology drugs. He is also the inventor of NaPro's semi-synthetic process for manufacturing paclitaxel. Dr. Swindell was Chairman of the Department of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College. Dr. Swindell received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Rice University. About NaPro BioTherapeutics NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies for the treatment of cancer and hereditary disease. For more information about NaPro and its technologies, visit NaPro's web site at http://www.naprobio.com/. Forward Looking Statements The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that represent management's beliefs and assumptions as of the date of the press release, based on currently available information. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "intends," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "anticipates," "expected" or comparable terminology or by discussions of strategy, and include statements regarding the Chemistry Advisory Board providing knowledge in the area of medicinal chemistry and assisting in the Company's development of novel treatments for cancer and hereditary disease. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that these expectations will prove to be correct. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties including those factors identified under the captions "Risk Factors," "Special Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements" or "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements" in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2003 filed with the SEC on March 11, 2004. Should one or more of these risks materialize (or the consequences of such a development worsen), or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from those forecasted or expected. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information, please contact L. Robert Cohen, Vice President, Investor Relations of NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc., +1-212-218-8715. DATASOURCE: NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc. CONTACT: L. Robert Cohen, Vice President, Investor Relations of NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc., +1-212-218-8715; or media, Peter Steinerman, +1-516-374-3031, for NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc.; or investors, Lilian Stern of Stern Investor Relations, +1-212-362-1200, for NaPro BioTherapeutics, Inc. Web site: http://www.naprobio.com/

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