The terrorist attacks in Paris may have finally spurred a brand change for Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., a drugmaker that until now has steadfastly held on to its name even as the militant group rose in prominence in the Middle East.
"We want the story to be about the medicines that we're creating, and not about our name," D. Wade Walke, a spokesman for the drugmaker, said in an interview on Wednesday. "If it looks like it's come to that point, and it may have — that it's become too much of a distraction away from our core mission, and our focus — then it's time for a change."
Named after Isis, the Egyptian goddess associated with good health, the company has had the moniker since its founding 26 years ago. Its ticker symbol on the Nasdaq, ISIS, is also under review by the company.