SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Celladon Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for cardiovascular diseases announced today it had been selected as a winner of Red Herring's Top 100 North America award, a prestigious list honoring the year's most promising private technology ventures from the North American business region.

"We are proud to have been selected as a winner of this award and we are thankful to our devoted employees and investors for their enduring commitment to find a new treatment modality for patients with advanced heart failure." said Krisztina Zsebo Ph.D., President and CEO of Celladon Corporation.

"In 2013, selecting the Top 100 achievers was by no means a small feat" said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. "In fact, we had the toughest time in years because so many entrepreneurs have crossed significant milestones so early. But after much thought, rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across North America to the Top 100 Winners. We believe Celladon Corporation embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture. Celladon Corporation should be proud of its accomplishment, as the competition was very strong."

Red Herring's editorial staff evaluated the companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation and intellectual property, management quality, business model, customer footprint, and market penetration. This assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the track record and standing of startups relative to their sector peers, allowing Red Herring to see past the "buzz" and make the list a valuable instrument of discovery and advocacy for the most promising new business models in North America.

About MYDICAR
MYDICAR is a genetically targeted enzyme replacement therapy intended to restore levels of SERCA2a, a regulator of calcium cycling in the heart and cardiac contractility. SERCA2a levels decline in all forms of late-stage HF resulting in deficient heart function. With MYDICAR, the SERCA2a gene is delivered using recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) as the vector. AAV is a naturally occurring virus not associated with any disease in humans. MYDICAR is delivered in a single dose directly to the heart during a routine outpatient cardiac catheterization procedure, similar to an angiogram. MYDICAR is synergistic and additive across current HF treatments such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, sprinolactone/diuretics, and biventricular pacing devices. No treatment substitution decision is required by the treating physician. A recent Phase 2 clinical trial demonstrated sustained improvement at one year in cardiac function parameters and quality of life. A 200 patient Phase 2b study of MYDICAR was initiated in August, 2012

About Celladon
Celladon is a privately held biotechnology company founded with the goal of becoming the leader in developing molecular therapies for the treatment of heart failure and cardiac diseases. The company's lead product, MYDICAR, targets the key enzyme deficiency in advanced heart failure, SERCA2a, which regulates calcium cycling and contractility in heart muscle cells. Celladon also conducts pre-clinical research on a proprietary platform of small molecule activators of SERCA enzymes for the treatment of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Further information can be found at www.celladon.net « back to overview