Aug. 9, 2004 — Ann Arbor-based Velcura Therapeutics Inc. said it had been awarded $1.452 million to study the mechanisms by which primitive cells develop into mature bone-forming cells. The grant was awarded by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases based on its interests in endocrinology, metabolic diseases, and stem cells. Velcura investigates how human bone cells function as part of its work developing novel therapies for bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The latest grant investigates the control of stem cells found in the bone marrow of children and adults (as opposed to embryonic stem cells) and their relationship to early and mature bone cells. Bone marrow stem cells are known to produce blood cells. However, recent evidence points to a capacity for marrow-derived stem cells to produce other cells, such as bone.

July 31, 2004 — Velcura Therapeutics Inc. will use a more than $1.4 million grant to study the role stem cells play in building strong bones.The Ann Arbor biotechnology company received the grant from the National Institutes of Health. Velcura is conducting research into treatments for bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, but has not yet released any medicinal products.

July 30, 2004 — Ann Arbor, MICH., July 30, 2004 -- Velcura Therapeutics™, Inc. recently was awarded $1,452,000 to study the mechanisms by which primitive cells develop into mature bone-forming cells. Velcura investigates how human bone cells function as part of its work developing novel therapies for bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The grant was awarded by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) based on NIDDK’s interests in endocrinology, metabolic diseases, and stem cells.

July 23, 2004 — Ann Arbor-based Velcura Therapeutics Inc. Thursday announced that it had worked with Santa Clara, Calif.-based Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq: AFFX) to develop a new "gene chip" array that should speed up research into bone disease. The device enables researchers to follow changes in gene expression during human bone formation. Approximately 1,500 genes are included on the chip -- about 1,250 bone-related genes discovered by Velcura scientists, as well as 250 more reported in scientific literature as bone-related.

July 22, 2004 — ANN ARBOR, MICH., July 22, 2004 – Velcura Therapeutics™, Inc. announced today the development of a custom Affymetrix (Nasdaq: AFFX) GeneChip® array that aids the development of bone disease therapies by enabling researchers to follow global changes in gene expression during human bone formation. Velcura worked with Affymetrix, the world leader in DNA microarray technologies, to design and produce the custom array using Affymetrix’ CustomExpress™ Array Program. This custom GeneChip array, which Velcura hopes will help speed research to help fight osteoporosis and other bone diseases, is available only to Velcura Therapeutics for use within the company for its own studies or that of its strategic partners.