Isis Pharmaceuticals announced that its company name has been changed to Ionis Pharmaceuticals today.The management of the company decided to change its name after the Islamic State also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh conducted a series of attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people.
Last month, D. Wade Walke, vice president of corporate communications and investor relations of the company, emphasized that Isis has so many negative connotations even if people know that the company is not associated with the terrorist group.
The name Isis Pharmaceuticals was originally derived from an Egyptian, who was associated with good health. However, the meaning of Isis changed since the terrorist became popular after conducting a series of attacks and captured territories in Iraq and Syria.
In conjunction with the name change, the company’s stock will start trading under the new ticker symbol “IONS” on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. The new ticker symbol will become effective at the open of the market on Tuesday, December 22.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals represent innovative culture and heritage
Ionis (pronounced “eye-OH-nis”) Pharmaceuticals is an original name, which means innovative culture and heritage. The company is a pioneer and leader in the RNA-targeted therapeutic space over the past 26 years.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals is focused on bringing its late-stage Phase 3 drugs, nusinersen, volanesorsen, and IONIS-TTRRx to the market. The company is advancing its pipeline of high-value drugs that have the potential to become first-in-class or best-in-class drugs to treat patients with life-threatening or serious diseases.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals at the forefront of developing innovative medicines
In a statement, Lynne Parshall, chief operating officer at Ionis Pharmaceuticals sad,”Our goal is to create medicines that will save patients’ lives, and we are proud to be at the forefront of creating innovative medicines.”
Parshall added, “We decided to change our company name because, when people see or hear our name, we want them to think about the life-saving medicines we are developing.”
Isis Pharmaceuticals is not the only company to change its name. In September, last year, ISIS Equity Partners and ISIS Wallet decided to change names because they don’t want to share a name with a terrorist group.
