SUPG Supergen, Inc. (MM)

DUBLIN, Calif., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SuperGen Inc. (NASDAQ:SUPG) today announced the promotion of David Bearss, Ph.D., to Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Bearss will continue to lead SuperGen's discovery and pre-clinical development strategies and execution as SuperGen continues to accelerate the discovery and advancement into the clinic of novel drug candidates. His responsibilities will include the oversight of target selection, product creation and early stage development. "As we move deeper into the frontiers of novel pharmaceutical space to address unmet medical needs, and expand our proprietary portfolio, Dave's scientific vision and leadership, and his extensive research and development experience, will continue to enable our Company to rapidly and efficiently identify, create and advance new drug candidates," said James S. Manuso, Ph.D., Chairman, President and CEO of SuperGen. Dr. Bearss joined SuperGen as a result of the Company's acquisition of Montigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2006. He cofounded and served as Montigen's scientific leader. Dr. Bearss is at the core of SuperGen's scientific innovation, and has enabled the discovery of the kinase inhibitors, MP-470 and SGI-1776. Emerging areas of his interest include the inhibition of protein- protein interactions, second-generation epigenetic inhibitors, and potential therapeutic applications of SuperGen's CLIMB(TM) discovery platform outside of cancer. Dr. Bearss is a recognized expert in targeted small-molecule drug development and the use of genetic model systems for drug discovery and evaluation. He pioneered the development of new targeted therapeutics and has been recognized for his work in validation and drug discovery projects with targets including telomerase, nuclear hormone receptors and aurora kinases. In 1999, as a fellow at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Bearss collaborated with Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, a recognized leader in drug development who has conducted more than 200 clinical trials with new antineoplastic and biologic agents. Dr. Bearss subsequently joined the faculty of the University of Arizona as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and a member of the Arizona Cancer Center where he invented and developed several novel, targeted chemical entities. Dr. Bearss holds a B.S. degree from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He has published more than thirty manuscripts and book chapters and has won several awards for his scientific achievements. Dr. Bearss has served as a pharmaceutical industry consultant, with respect to the development of cancer therapeutics, for several biotechnology companies prior to founding Montigen Pharmaceuticals. About SuperGen Based in Dublin, Calif., SuperGen, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel cancer therapies. SuperGen is developing a number of therapeutic anticancer products focused on kinase and cell signaling inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors. For more information about SuperGen, please visit http://www.supergen.com/. This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is subject to the safe harbor created thereby. The actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the ability of our products to enter clinical trials and the potential validation of our discovery process to produce new compounds. SuperGen's products may not enter clinical trials and even if these products do enter clinical testing there is no assurance that these tests will be successful. Additionally, the early successes in preclinical work may not be a validation of our discovery process and past success may not predict future success. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, the risk factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including reports on its most recently filed Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. These forward- looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to update or revise the information contained in any such forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: SuperGen Timothy L. Enns S.V.P., Corporate Communications & Business Development (925) 560-2810 Dorland Global Public Relations Michael Beckerich (Media) Tel: (212) 677-7632 DATASOURCE: SuperGen Inc. CONTACT: Timothy L. Enns, S.V.P., Corporate Communications & Business Development of SuperGen, +1-925-560-2810, ; Michael Beckerich (Media), Dorland Global Public Relations, +1-212-677-7632,

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