| Cardium Therapeutics Inc. and its parent Aries Ventures, Inc. (the
Company), headquartered in San Diego, are primarily focused on interventional
cardiology and the development and commercialization of non-surgical
cardiovascular gene therapeutics. The Company's lead product candidate,
Generx(TM), is a non-surgical angiogenic therapy designed to be a one-time
treatment for patients with recurrent angina due to coronary artery disease.
Generx and the related cardiovascular technology platform were pioneered by
Collateral Therapeutics, a San Diego-based biotechnology company co-founded by
Cardium's CEO Christopher Reinhard. In 1996, Schering AG Germany and
Collateral Therapeutics entered into a strategic partnership to develop
angiogenic DNA-based therapeutics, including Generx. Based on the advancing
clinical progress of Generx, Schering AG acquired Collateral Therapeutics in
2002. In October 2005, Cardium Therapeutics announced the acquisition of a
portfolio of cardiovascular growth factor therapeutics from Schering AG
Germany, including the later-stage product candidate, Generx, and
simultaneously merged with a specially formed subsidiary of Aries Ventures
Inc. and completed a $30 million financing. |