miRagen Therapeutics’ Chief Scientific Advisor Wins Prestigious French Award for Heart Research
Prize Recognizes Seminal Contributions to the Field of Cardiovascular Medicine
BOULDER, CO, June 9, 2009—miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving patients’ lives by developing innovative microRNA-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease, today announced that its Chief Scientific Advisor and Co-Founder, Eric N. Olson, Ph.D., has been named the winner of the prestigious Grand Prize of the Institut de France’s Fondation Lefoulon-Delalande. The award, which is widely considered the most distinguished in the cardiovascular field, is in recognition of his groundbreaking research into the mechanisms of gene regulation in heart development and the subsequent creation of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of heart disease. Professor Alain Carpentier, President of the Scientific Council of the Fondation Lefoulon-Delalande, will present the prize on June 10 in Paris.
“This award underscores the significance of Eric’s many invaluable contributions to cardiovascular research and medicine,” said William S. Marshall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. “The passion, depth of knowledge and spirit of innovation that he brings to his work are inspiring; at miRagen, we are committed to translating Eric’s pioneering microRNA research into breakthrough therapies for cardiovascular and muscle disease.”
“I consider this award one of the highest honors of my career,” Dr. Olson said. “I have been fortunate to work with an incredible group of scientists who have joined my laboratory from throughout the United States and around the world. They have been responsible for our discoveries and they really deserve the credit. I am especially excited that their discoveries are now being translated into new therapeutics for heart disease.”
About microRNAs: MicroRNAs have emerged as an important class of small RNAs encoded in the genome. They act to control the expression of sets of genes and entire pathways and are thus thought of as master regulators of gene expression. Recent studies have demonstrated that microRNAs are responsible for many diseases. Because they are single molecular entities that dictate the expression of fundamental regulatory pathways, microRNAs represent potential drug targets of unprecedented power.
About miRagen Therapeutics: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. Astonishingly, in the United States, every 37 seconds a person dies from cardiovascular disease. For survivors, life changes dramatically after an adverse heart event. Because of the significant toll that cardiovascular and muscle disease takes on patients, miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., was founded in 2007 to develop innovative microRNA-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease. Only recently discovered, microRNAs are short, single-stranded RNA molecules encoded in the genome that regulate gene expression and play a vital role in influencing cardiovascular and muscle disease. Principally funded through venture capital investments, miRagen combines world recognized leadership in cardiovascular medicine with unprecedented in-house expertise in microRNA biology and chemistry. For more information, please visit: www.miragentherapeutics.com
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