Release Details

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jun 21, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDRA) today announced the election of Eve E. Slater, M.D., F.A.C.C., to the Company's Board of Directors as a class III director. Dr. Slater is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology and has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, most recently serving as senior vice president for worldwide policy at Pfizer, Inc. Prior to joining Pfizer, she served in senior management positions at Merck Research Laboratories. In addition, Dr. Slater was the Assistant Secretary for Health and served as chief health policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"Dr. Slater's experience as a clinician, a public health policy advisor and a senior corporate executive is a rare combination in our industry and brings valuable experience to Idera," said James B. Wyngaarden, M.D., Chairman of Idera. "We welcome Eve to Idera's Board, and we look forward to her contributions as Idera prepares to advance Toll-like Receptor-targeted drug candidates for diverse therapeutic applications through clinical development."

"Idera has created a strong pipeline of clinical and preclinical drug candidates for the potential treatment of a broad range of diseases," commented Dr. Slater. "I am pleased to have joined Idera as a member of the Board, and I look forward to working with the Board and members of the management team in applying my clinical and regulatory experience to help guide the advancement of Idera's pipeline."

Dr. Slater was the Senior Vice President for Worldwide Policy at Pfizer, Inc. In this role, she developed industry strategies for health care reform. Prior to this position, she was Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving as chief policy advisory and responsible for overseeing the United States Public Health Service. At Merck, Dr. Slater oversaw clinical and regulatory development at Merck Research Laboratories from 1988-2001. Her roles at Merck included Senior Vice President of External Policy, Vice President of Corporate Public Affairs, Senior Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Development, Executive Director of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Senior Director of Biochemical Endocrinology. Dr. Slater managed worldwide regulatory activities for all Merck medicines and vaccines. She is currently Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Slater is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vassar College and an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. She joined Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in 1971 with an internship in medicine, followed by a fellowship in cardiology in 1973. In 1976 she was appointed Chief Resident in Medicine. Dr. Slater served as Chief of the Hypertension Unit at MGH from 1977-1982 and was Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Among her many honors and awards, she was the 2002 Dr. Luther Terry Lecturer of the US Public Health Service and received the 2003 Virginia Kneeland Frantz Distinguished Women in Medicine Award.

About Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Idera Pharmaceuticals develops drug candidates to treat infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases, and for use as vaccine adjuvants. Our proprietary drug candidates are designed to modulate specific Toll-like Receptors, which are a family of immune system receptors that direct immune system responses. Our pioneering DNA and RNA chemistry expertise enables us to create drug candidates for internal development and generates opportunities for multiple collaborative alliances. For more information, visit www.iderapharma.com.

Idera Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "estimates," "intends," "should," "could," "will," "may," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Idera's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including whether results obtained in preclinical studies and early clinical trials will be indicative of results obtained in future clinical trials; whether products based on Idera's technology will advance into or through the clinical trial process on a timely basis or at all and receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether, if the Company's products receive approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; whether the Company's collaborations with Merck KGaA and an affiliate of Merck & Co., Inc. will be successful; whether the patents and patent applications owned or licensed by the Company will protect the Company's technology and prevent others from infringing it; whether Idera's cash resources will be sufficient to fund the Company's operations; and such other important factors as are set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in Idera's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2010, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. Idera disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Kelly Luethje, 617-679-5519
kluethje@iderapharma.com
or
MacDougall Biomedical Communications
Chris Erdman, 781-235-3060
cerdman@macbiocom.com