Aratana Therapeutics Announces Additions to Board of Directors

KANSAS CITY, Kan., Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aratana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETX), a pet therapeutics company focused on the licensing or acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative biopharmaceutical products for cats, dogs and other companion animals, today announced additions to its Board of Directors.  The Board has appointed two new members; Laura Brege, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nodality, Inc., a privately held life sciences company, and Merilee Raines, former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of companion animal health company IDEXX Laboratories.  Mses. Brege and Raines will serve on the Audit Committee of the Board, with Ms. Brege as Chairperson.  Aratana also announced the resignation of Board member Ronald Meeusen, Ph.D., Managing Partner of Cultivian Ventures, one of Aratana's early investors.

Jay Lichter, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board of Aratana Therapeutics, stated, "We are pleased to welcome Ms. Brege and Ms. Raines to our Board and to our Audit Committee.  We expect to benefit from Ms. Brege's strong background in finance and extensive executive leadership experience at life sciences and biotechnology companies.  We also look forward to leveraging Ms. Raines' experience as Chief Financial Officer of a public animal health company.  The Board also thanks Dr. Meeusen for his guidance and support for Aratana as an investor and Board member during our transition from private to public ownership."

Steven St. Peter, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Aratana Therapeutics, stated, "As Aratana continues to evolve, we are pleased to enhance and strengthen our Board with such talented individuals.  We expect to benefit from their leadership and past board experience."

Prior to joining Nodality, Ms. Brege was Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., serving previously as Onyx' Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer.  Prior to Onyx, Ms. Brege served as Chief Financial Officer at COR Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, and Flextronics, Inc., a supply-chain solutions company.  Ms. Brege currently serves on the board of directors of publicly-traded Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Delcath Systems, Inc. and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and served previously on the board of Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

From October 2003 until her retirement in May 2013, Ms. Raines served as Chief Financial Officer of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., a publicly-traded company providing diagnostic and IT products and services primarily to the companion animal health market, where she was part of the leadership team that grew IDEXX revenues to $1.3 billion.  Ms. Raines also served as IDEXX's Executive Vice President from July 2012 to May 2013, and as Corporate Vice President, Finance from May 1995 to July 2012. Ms. Raines has served as a director of Watts Water Technologies, Inc., a publicly-traded manufacturer of products and systems focused on control, conservation and quality of water, since 2011, and is currently a member of its Audit and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees.

About Aratana Therapeutics
Aratana Therapeutics is a pet therapeutics company focused on the licensing or acquisition, development and commercialization of innovative biopharmaceutical products for cats, dogs and other companion animals. Aratana believes that it can leverage the investment in the human biopharmaceutical industry to bring therapeutics to pets in a capital and time efficient manner. Aratana believes the development and commercialization of these therapeutics will permit veterinarians and pet owners to manage pets' medical needs safely and effectively, resulting in longer and improved quality of life for pets.  For more information, please visit www.aratana.com.  

Contacts:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.

Joshua Drumm, Ph.D. (investors)
jdrumm@tiberend.com; (212) 375-2664

Andrew Mielach (media)
amielach@tiberend.com; (212) 375-2694

SOURCE Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.