LA JOLLA, Calif., Nov. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RGLS), a biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs, announced today the appointment of Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors. Concurrently, Stanley T. Crooke, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Board and CEO of Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Barry E. Greene, President and Chief Operating Officer of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., have each stepped down from the Board of Directors and their respective Board committees.

"I want to thank Stan and Barry for their leadership and for their many contributions during the past formative years of the company. During their service on the Board, Regulus has transitioned from an up-start to an emerging publicly traded biopharmaceutical company," said John Maraganore, Ph.D., Chairman of Regulus' Board of Directors. "I would also like to welcome Doug to the Board and look forward to his contributions as we continue to build a great company."

"I also want to thank Stan and Barry for their wonderful service and many contributions to the Board," said Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D., President and CEO of Regulus. "I'd also like to welcome Doug to the Board. He is a recognized biotech leader with a proven track record of more than twenty years in drug development, research and operations. Given our recently completed public offering and focus on clinical development, Doug's addition to our Board comes at the right time as we advance multiple microRNA programs toward the clinic." 

"This is an exciting time to join the outstanding team at Regulus," said Dr. Williams. "Regulus is in a strong position to capture the transformative potential of microRNA therapeutics and create powerful, first-in-class medicines."

Dr. Williams serves as Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Biogen Idec.  He joined Biogen Idec from ZymoGenetics Inc., where he was most recently CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Previously, he held leadership positions within the biotechnology industry, including Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Seattle Genetics Inc., and Senior Vice President and Washington Site Leader at Amgen Inc. Dr. Williams also served in a series of scientific and senior leadership positions over a decade at Immunex Corp., including Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President of Discovery Research and Vice President of Research and Development.

About Regulus

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ : RGLS) is a biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs. Regulus is leveraging a mature therapeutic platform based on technology that has been developed over 20 years. Regulus works with a broad network of academic collaborators and leverages the oligonucleotide drug discovery and development expertise of its founding companies, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ : ALNY) and Isis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ : ISIS). Regulus is advancing microRNA therapeutics toward clinical development in several areas, including oncology, fibrosis, hepatitis C and metabolic diseases. Regulus has formed strategic alliances with AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi and a research collaboration with Biogen Idec.

For more information, please visit http://www.regulusrx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements associated with Regulus' expectations regarding future therapeutic and commercial potential of Regulus' business plans, technologies and intellectual property related to microRNA therapeutics being discovered and developed by Regulus.  Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "goal," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Regulus' current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect.  Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks associated with the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs. These and other risks concerning Regulus' programs are described in additional detail in Regulus' SEC filings.  All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Regulus undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

SOURCE Regulus Therapeutics Inc.