LOS ANGELES, Oct. 4, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C3 Jian, Inc., a private company focused on providing improved oral healthcare, announced the appointment of Richard Bastiani, Ph.D., as a member of its Board of Directors.
Dr. Bastiani, who has over 40 years of industry experience, is currently a member of the Board of Directors of biotechnology companies Abaxis, DiscoveRx, and Pathwork Diagnostics. Formerly, Dr. Bastiani served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of ID Biomedical Corporation until its $1.5 billion acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Bastiani started his career at Palo Alto, CA-based Syva, where he held various positions over a 25-year career, ultimately becoming its President in 1991. Dr. Bastiani led Syva until its multi-billion dollar acquisition by Hoechst AG of Germany in 1995. After retiring from Syva, Dr. Bastiani served as President of Dendreon, a cancer therapeutic company.
"We are excited to welcome Rich to the C3 Jian Board of Directors," said James Garrison, Chairman of the Board. "As an experienced senior executive in the biopharmaceutical and diagnostic industries, Dr. Bastiani brings with him a strong track record of success that will be invaluable to our senior management team as we continue to build the company."
Dr. Bastiani said, "I am thrilled to join the board of such a unique and exciting company. C3 Jian has proven its ability to fund its R&D activities with $57 million in equity financings and has a very interesting core technology and lead product. Targeting oral healthcare also nicely distinguishes the company from the hundreds of other biotechnology companies."
"I have known and respected Rich for years and could not be happier to have him join the team at C3 Jian," stated Todd R. Patrick, President and CEO. "As we develop the business and in particular our lead product targeting dental caries, it is important to draw on the significant experience of our Board and the addition of Rich not only adds to this depth but nicely complements the skillsets already in place."
In May 2012, C3 Jian received U.S. Food and Drug Administration acceptance of its Investigational New Drug Application relating to its novel drug targeting the bacteria that causes dental caries. The Company's Phase 1 clinical trial is ongoing.