SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/29/12 -- Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEA) announced today that Barry D. Quart, PharmD, president and chief executive officer, will present at the following upcoming investor conferences in March 2012:

• Cowen and Company 32nd Annual Health Care Conference in Boston, MA. Presentation: 2:10 p.m. EST on Monday, March 5, 2012.
  
  
• ROTH 24th Annual OC Growth Stock Conference in Laguna Niguel, CA. Presentation: 8:30 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, March 13, 2012.
  
  

These presentations will be webcast and can be accessed on the Investor Relations section of Ardea's website at www.ardeabio.com. Please connect to Ardea's website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary.

About Ardea Biosciences, Inc.
Ardea Biosciences, Inc., of San Diego, California, is a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases. Lesinurad, our lead product candidate for the chronic treatment of gout, is a once-daily, oral inhibitor of the URAT1 transporter that has entered Phase 3 clinical development. Our next-generation URAT1 inhibitor, RDEA3170, is currently in Phase 1 clinical development. BAY 86-9766 (RDEA119) is a potent and specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated ERK kinase (MEK) for the treatment of cancer being developed by Bayer HealthCare under a global license agreement with Ardea. BAY 86-9766 (RDEA119) is currently in a Phase 2 study in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in combination with sorafenib and a Phase 1/Phase 2 study in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine.

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our plans and goals, the expected properties and benefits of lesinurad, BAY 86-9766 (RDEA119), RDEA3170 and our other compounds and the timing and results of our preclinical, clinical and other studies. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include risks related to the outcome of preclinical and clinical studies, risks related to regulatory approvals, delays in commencement of preclinical and clinical studies, costs associated with our drug discovery and development programs, and risks related to the outcome of our business development activities, including collaboration or license agreements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in our most recently filed SEC documents, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the headings "Risk Factors." All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. We undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.