Poniard Pharmaceuticals Appoints Janet R. Rea to Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 10 CA-Poniard-New-VP


SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Poniard
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on
oncology, today announced that it has appointed Janet R. (nee Christensen)
Rea, MSPH, RAC, as vice president, regulatory affairs and quality.


Prior to joining Poniard, Ms. Rea served as vice president, regulatory
affairs and quality at AVI BioPharma. She previously held positions at
Targeted Genetics, MDS BioPharma, Immunex (now Amgen) and American Hospital
Supply (now Baxter), and also ran her own consulting practice. She has nearly
30 years of ethical drug and biologics industry experience in regulatory
affairs, quality assurance, quality control, product development and
commercialization.


"Ms. Rea has substantial experience leading to the successful execution of
regulatory and quality activities with the FDA and other regulatory
authorities," said Ronald Martell, president and chief operating officer of
Poniard. "We expect that she will play an important role in preparing our
submissions to the FDA to support our targeted commercial launch of picoplatin
in 2010."


"I am pleased to join Poniard, which has a well-defined regulatory pathway
along which to advance this promising product to market for the treatment of
small cell lung cancer," said Ms. Rea. "The product platform potential of
picoplatin for multiple formulations and use as a combination product in the
treatment of many human cancers is an exciting opportunity."



About Poniard Pharmaceuticals


Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on
the development and commercialization of innovative oncology products to
impact the lives of people with cancer. Picoplatin, the Company's lead
platform product candidate, is a new generation platinum therapy with an
improved safety profile relative to existing platinum-based cancer therapies.
Picoplatin is designed to overcome platinum resistance associated with
chemotherapy in solid tumors, and is being studied in multiple cancer
indications, combinations and formulations. Clinical trials of intravenous
picoplatin include a Phase 3 trial in small cell lung cancer and Phase 2
trials in metastatic colorectal and hormone-refractory prostate cancers, as
well as a clinical trial of oral picoplatin in solid tumors. Picoplatin has
not been approved by any regulatory authority for use in humans. For
additional information please visit http://www.poniard.com.



This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements
regarding the Company's business objectives and strategic goals, drug
development plans, results of clinical trials and the potential safety and
efficacy of its products in development. The Company's actual results may
differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements
based on a number of factors, including risks and uncertainties associated
with the Company's research and development activities; the results of pre-
clinical and clinical testing; the receipt and timing of required regulatory
approvals; the market's acceptance of the Company's proposed products; the
Company's anticipated operating losses, need for future capital and ability to
obtain future funding; competition from third parties; the Company's ability
to preserve and protect intellectual property rights; the Company's dependence
on third-party manufacturers and suppliers; the Company's lack of sales and
marketing experience; the Company's ability to attract and retain key
personnel; changes in technology, government regulation and general market
conditions; and the risks and uncertainties described in the Company's current
and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2007 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
2008. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-
looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The
Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to
reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date of this
release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.



(C) 2008 Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Poniard and Poniard Pharmaceuticals are trademarks of Poniard
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.



SOURCE  Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.