Rifalazil

ATLANTA, March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The 55th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Atlanta will feature an educational symposium supported by ActivBiotics, Inc. entitled "Infectious Contributions to Atherosclerosis and Vascular Disease: Do we really know the answer?" From 12 noon till 2 pm on Saturday, March 11th, 2006 in room 6-10 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, key opinion leaders will discuss new perspectives on clinical trials using antibacterial therapy in vascular disease. Chairing the event is J. Thomas Grayston, MD, Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle, and the principal investigator on the completed ACES (Azithromycin and Coronary Events Study) trial. Joining Dr. Grayston on the panel will be William Hiatt, MD, Professor of Cardiovascular Research at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, J. Robert Crouse III, MD, Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, David Gilbert, MD, Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health Science University in Portland, and Lee Ann Campbell, PhD, Professor of Pathobiology at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. "We are delighted with the interest generated in this symposium, and especially grateful to this expert faculty who will discuss new evidence into the potential contributory role Chlamydia pneumoniae, a ubiquitous bacterial pathogen, may play in accelerating atherosclerotic disease," said Steve Gilman, PhD, President and CEO of ActivBiotics, Inc. This activity is sponsored by the North American Center for Continuing Medical Education (NACCME). NACCME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The event is not part of the official ACC Annual Scientific Session as planned by the Annual Scientific Session Program Committee (ASSPC). To register for this symposium, please go to . ActivBiotics, Inc. is a private biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of breakthrough therapies for the treatment of vascular disease, inflammation, and other high-value chronic and infectious diseases. The Company's lead product candidate, rifalazil, is currently being developed for multiple indications, including intermittent claudication (leg pain) resulting from peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a serious complication of atherosclerosis that affects over 14 million Americans. Based on its experience with rifalazil, the Company has amassed a library of over 1,500 biologically active compounds from the rifamycin class of antibiotics. ABI-0043, the lead candidate in this series of compounds, is in preclinical development as a novel antibacterial agent. In additional to antibacterial programs, the Company has a second platform of anti-inflammatory oxygen free radical scavenging agents, which are small molecule mimetics of human superoxide dismutase. M-40403, the lead candidate among these, has been in Phase 2 trials. The Company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts and has additional operations in Toronto, Canada. For more information on ActivBiotics, please visit . Contact details: Andrew Sternlicht, MD Glenn Kazo VP, Medical Affairs and Corp. Development Chief Business Officer ActivBiotics, Inc. ActivBiotics, Inc. (781) 372-4854 (781) 372-4864 asternlicht@activbiotics.comgkazo@activbiotics.com ActivBiotics, Inc. CONTACT: Andrew Sternlicht, MD, VP, Medical Affairs and Corp. Development,+1-781-372-4854, asternlicht@activbiotics.com, or Glenn Kazo, ChiefBusiness Officer, +1-781-372-4864, gkazo@activbiotics.com both ofActivBiotics, Inc. Web site: