LOS ANGELES, March 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C3 Jian, Inc., a private company focused on providing improved oral healthcare, announced today that Brian C. Varnum, Ph.D., has been appointed Vice President of Product Development, effective immediately. Dr. Varnum will be responsible for the commercial development of the Company's lead products, with particular focus on C3 Jian's C16G2, a therapeutic peptide targeting dental caries. The Company expects in April to file an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human clinical trials of the C16G2 peptide. Dr. Varnum will lead the Company's efforts to coordinate commercial activities as its products move from research to development. Dr. Varnum brings 23 years of product development experience to C3 Jian, covering all areas of commercialization from research to product launch. Dr. Varnum is C3 Jian's first Vice President of Product Development.
"We are really pleased and fortunate to have recruited Brian to C3J," said Todd R. Patrick, C3 Jian's President and CEO. "While his experience and skill set will be a great addition to our development team, I am equally excited by his track record of success and knowing what it takes to build a successful culture in this sector. This is an important position for our Company and adds great strength to our senior management team. "
Dr. Varnum spent the bulk of his career at Amgen, Inc. in Thousand Oaks, California. His 18 year career at Amgen began in 1989, when he was appointed as the company's very first Postdoctoral scientist. His background at Amgen included positions in molecular biology, pharmacology, pathology, immunology and clinical development. Ultimately, Dr. Varnum became an Executive Director with the company. After retiring from Amgen in 2007, Dr. Varnum spent the last few years in the biotechnology industry, most recently as Chief Scientific Officer of Tarrot Pharmaceuticals, a spin-off company from Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Varnum received his B.A. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA.
"I am very excited to join C3J at such an opportune time," said Dr. Varnum. "There is nothing quite like the passion involved in taking a product from research to commercial development. One does not often get the chance to join an early stage company with such an experienced and entrepreneurial management group. The C3J technology platform is exceptionally interesting and I look forward to working with the scientific team to develop the commercial potential of the pipeline."
About C3 Jian, Inc.
C3 Jian is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing and commercializing novel products to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases related to oral health. C3 is advancing targeted proprietary solutions, which can offer more selective, efficacious and safer treatment modalities for dental applications. The Company's platform cell signaling technology has potential applications beyond oral health and may impact a variety of diseases and disorders particularly related to bacterial and fungal infections. C3 Jian is based in Los Angeles, California. For more information about the company, please visit www.c3-jian.com.
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