Ardea Biosciences Appoints John W. Beck Chief Financial Officer, Announces Clinical Development Progress and Reports First Quarter 2008 Financi...( SAN DIEGO May 9 /- Ardea Bioscien...),Health

SAN DIEGO, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: RDEA), a company focused on the discovery and development of small- molecule therapeutics for the treatment of HIV, cancer and inflammatory diseases, including gout, today announced that John W. Beck has been appointed Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations and Chief Financial Officer effective May 27, 2008. He will resign from our board of directors shortly thereafter. The Company also reported recent accomplishments and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Appointment of John W. Beck as Chief Financial Officer

"We are extremely pleased to welcome John Beck as the new Chief Financial Officer of Ardea," said Barry D. Quart, PharmD, Ardea Biosciences' President and CEO. "John has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2007. He is a proven leader with more than 20 years of financial management experience. We believe that he will play an important role in our ongoing success."

Mr. Beck joins Ardea Biosciences from Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc., which he co-founded in 1999 and where he served most recently as Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Prior to Metabasis, he served as Director of Finance of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., where he played an important role in Neurocrine's 1996 initial public offering. Prior to joining Neurocrine, Mr. Beck held financial management positions at various high technology and financial services companies, including General Dynamics and Ernst and Young LLP. Mr. Beck received a B.A. in accounting from the University of Washington and also holds a Th.B. in theology from a Seattle, Washington-based seminary. Mr. Beck is a licensed (i
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