SCYNEXIS and Trevena Announce Strategic Collaboration to Enhance Discovery of Biased GPCR Ligands

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and KING OF PRUSSIA, PA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/19/10 -- SCYNEXIS, Inc., a drug discovery and development company, and Trevena, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) biased ligands, announced today that they have entered into an agreement in which SCYNEXIS will provide medicinal chemistry services to support Trevena's ongoing research activities directed at the discovery of biased GPCR ligands. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Trevena's biased ligands selectively turn on and off individual pathways at the GPCR, and in so doing provide an enhanced level of drug specificity. This specificity allows enhanced efficacy or decreased side effects to be designed into the drug candidate. "SCYNEXIS has a history of successful collaboration with Trevena and we are pleased to undertake this new project with them and their innovative approach to GPCR technology," noted Yves Ribeill, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of SCYNEXIS.

Maxine Gowen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Trevena, explained, "Our early discovery efforts have been so productive that we require additional chemistry resources to fully optimize the portfolio of biased leads we have discovered. SCYNEXIS is ideally suited to provide that capability." Trevena recently announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial with TRV120027, a first-in-class agent that could provide a major advance in the treatment of acute heart failure, due to its unique spectrum of biological effects. TRV120027 is the first biased ligand to be discovered and tested in humans.

About SCYNEXIS

SCYNEXIS delivers integrated, efficient and innovative drug discovery and development solutions to our global health and pharmaceutical partners. Our record of success is exemplified by the delivery of 11 pre-clinical drug candidates over the last five years. SCYNEXIS' teams are tailored to be especially effective in moving customer projects from concept to clinic, utilizing powerful proprietary technologies such as the HEOS® SaaS Software Platform for comprehensive drug discovery information management and the MEDCHEM-FACTORY® High-Throughput Synthesis and Purification Platform.

Our fully-integrated contract research solutions include medicinal chemistry, advanced biological screening, in vitro pharmacology and ADMET, DMPK, bioanalytical and analytical chemistry, process chemistry, and cGMP manufacturing. The SCYNEXIS process chemistry department recently passed a general inspection and pre-approval inspection (PAI) by the FDA in support of a customer's NDA.

Founded in 2000, SCYNEXIS is located in Research Triangle Park, N.C. SCYNEXIS is registered with both the FDA and DEA. Please visit our website at www.scynexis.com.

About Trevena

Trevena, Inc. is a leader in the discovery and development of GPCR biased ligand drugs. Trevena's proprietary Advanced Biased Ligand Explorer, or ABLE™, platform includes customized assays, proprietary software, animal models and unique biological signaling information across multiple GPCRs that allow for the discovery, optimization and development of unique biased ligands into differentiated new medicines. The company's drug discovery technology is based on extensive research from the laboratories of leading scientists in the GPCR field -- Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D. and Howard A. Rockman, M.D. of Duke University Medical Center. Trevena's pipeline is currently focused on programs for cardiovascular and CNS indications with significant unmet medical needs. Founded in 2008, Trevena is based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and is a privately held company backed by leading investors including Alta Partners, Healthcare Ventures, NEA, Polaris and Yasuda Economic Development Corporation. For more information about the company, please visit www.trevenainc.com. 

For further information, please contact:

<b>SCYNEXIS, Inc.
</b>Terry Marquardt
Executive Director, Market Development & Communications
Email Contact
Tel: +1-919-544-8603

<b>SCYNEXIS Media Contacts:
</b>Rick Rountree
Rick Rountree Communications
Email Contact
Tel. +1-919-878-1144

Sarah Cavanaugh
MacDougall Biomedical Communications
Email Contact
Tel. +1-781-235-3060

<b>Trevena Media Contact:
</b>Dan Budwick
Pure Communications, Inc.
(973) 271-6085
Email Contact

Released May 19, 2010