James E. (Jim) Rurka, President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Rurka most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of Microcide Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (MCDE: NASDAQ) of Mountain View, Calif. from February 1, 1994 until October 24, 2001, when Microcide and The Althexis Company of Waltham, Mass. merged to create Essential Therapeutics, Inc. (ETRX: NASDAQ). Prior to joining Microcide, Mr. Rurka served as President of the Cetus Oncology Division of Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, Calif., following the merger of Cetus Corporation and Chiron Corporation in December, 1991. From 1983 to 1991, Mr. Rurka served Cetus Corporation, first as Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, and subsequently as Senior Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations. Before joining the biotech healthcare sector in 1983, Mr. Rurka held Group Marketing Director and Product Management positions, specializing in the oncology and infectious disease therapy areas, at Bristol Myers Squibb (Syracuse, N.Y. - 1976-1983) and Schering-Plough Corporation (Kenilworth, N.J. - 1969-1976). Mr. Rurka holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Business from Seton Hall University, where he also attended its Graduate School of Business. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Essential Therapeutics, Inc. and is a Director of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.