Ardea Biosciences Awarded a $733,438 Grant from the U.S. Government Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: RDEA) announced today that it has been awarded a $733,438 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Ardea submitted three applications, one for each of its drug candidates under active development, for expenses incurred during 2009 and 2010.  All three applications received an award.  The grant is expected to be fully funded in the fourth quarter of 2010.

"We are extremely pleased that the Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that our programs qualify for funding due to their potential to address significant unmet medical needs, treat chronic diseases, reduce long-term health care costs and sustain high-quality, high paying jobs in the U.S.," commented John W. Beck, senior vice president, finance and operations and chief financial officer. "This grant provides an important source of non-dilutive funding in our continued efforts to further these important objectives."

About Ardea Biosciences, Inc.

Ardea Biosciences, Inc., of San Diego, California, is a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases.  RDEA594, our lead product candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, is a selective URAT1 transporter inhibitor in Phase 2 clinical development.  Our next-generation URAT1 inhibitor program is currently in preclinical development.  BAY 86-9766, formerly known as RDEA119, is a potent and specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated ERK kinase (MEK) for the treatment of cancer being developed under a global license agreement with Bayer HealthCare AG.  BAY 86-9766 is currently being evaluated in advanced cancer patients with different tumor types as a single agent in a Phase 1 study as well as in combination with sorafenib (Nexavar®; Bayer HealthCare, Onyx Pharmaceuticals) in a Phase 1/2 study.  Our two product candidates for the treatment of HIV, RDEA806 and RDEA427, are non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), which have successfully completed a Phase 2a study in HIV patients and a human micro-dose pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers, respectively.

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our plans and goals, the expected properties and benefits of RDEA594, BAY 86-9766 (RDEA119), RDEA806, RDEA427 and our other compounds and the timing and results of our preclinical, clinical and other studies.  Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include risks related to the outcome of preclinical and clinical studies, risks related to regulatory approvals, delays in commencement of preclinical and clinical studies, costs associated with our drug discovery and development programs, and risks related to the outcome of our business development activities, including collaboration or license agreements.  These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in our most recently filed SEC documents, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the headings "Risk Factors."  All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made.  We undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

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SOURCE Ardea Biosciences, Inc.

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