Scios Inc. (Acquired By Johnson & Johnson)

About Scios Inc. (Acquired By Johnson & Johnson)

Scios Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel drugs for the potential treatment of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. We are distinguished by our disease-based technology platform which integrates expertise in protein biology with computational and medicinal chemistry to identify novel targets and rationally design small-molecule compounds. Scios employs approximately 427 people and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Scios has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market NatrecorÒ (nesiritide) for the treatment of patients with acutely decompensated congestive heart failure who have shortness of breath (dyspnea) at rest or with minimal activity. Natrecor is a new drug class, human B-type Natriuretic Peptides, made available as a therapeutic in the United States.
The other lead product in the Company's pipeline is SCIO-469. We have completed two Phase I trials evaluating the safety of SCIO-469. An oral inhibitor of p38 kinase, SCIO-469 is being developed for the potential treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A Phase II clinical trial evaluating SCIO-469 in rheumatoid arthritis patients is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2002.