Jan. 7, 2009 — Velcura Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-phase biotechnology company developing therapies for bone disease, has completed its second successful Investigational New Drug application (IND) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lead compound, VEL-0230. The November 2008 IND filing enables Velcura to proceed with clinical trials in patients with stable Rheumatoid Arthritis.

July 21, 2008 — Velcura Therapeutics, Inc. CEO Michael Long, Ph.D., announced that William F. Brinkerhoff has joined the Board of Directors of the biotechnology company, which completed a first-in-man clinical trial for VEL-0230, a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that also stimulates bone formation and inhibits bone loss. Velcura is developing its lead compound as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other bone diseases.

May 12, 2008 — Velcura Therapeutics Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Velcura's research focus is to understand human bone disease and to discover novel therapeutics that restore bone health. Velcura develops highly differentiated therapies for bone disease, specifically, therapies that restore the balance between bone building and bone loss activities in a single molecule. Velcura uses its patented platform technologies to discover and optimize these compounds.

May 9, 2008 — Dr. Michael W. Long recently was named the third-annual Grant Thornton Leader and Innovator of the Year. The "Leader & Innovator" award recognizes and rewards leaders and innovators in the state of Michigan who have demonstrated or created unique ideas, products or abilities that generate a better quality of life in our communities. Nominees were recognized this month at a ceremony at Lawrence Technological University for their proven, successful leadership of Michigan companies, community organizations and enterprises.

Feb. 8, 2008 — Pfizer’s loss of some top talent, including Lipitor pioneer Dr. Bob Sliskovic, is the gain of two Michigan companies teaming to help speed research to fight bone diseases such as multiple myeloma, metastatic bone disease, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.