Patent Strengthens Intellectual Property Surrounding ETC-642 Product Candidate
In Development for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Esperion Therapeutics,
Inc. (Nasdaq: ESPR), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery,
development and commercialization of therapies to improve the treatment of
cardiovascular disease, today announced that the United States Patent and
Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent Number 6,602,854 covering composition
of matter relating to branched multimeric apolipoproteinA-I agonist compounds.
This is the fourth U.S. patent issued in the past twelve months for technology
relating to apolipoproteinA-I agonists and peptide/phospholipid complexes,
including Esperion's ETC-642 (RLT Peptide) product candidate. A total of
eleven U.S. patents have been issued with respect to Esperion's exclusively
licensed RLT Peptide technology.
Esperion's patent portfolio relating to apolipoproteinA-I agonists and
peptide/phospholipid complexes includes numerous U.S. and foreign patents and
patent applications exclusively licensed to Esperion that cover novel
peptides, pharmaceutical compositions, methods for their use, pharmaceutical
dosage forms of the peptides, methods for preparing the dosage forms and
nucleotide sequences encoding the peptides.
A complex of a 22-amino acid peptide and phospholipids, ETC-642 is being
developed to mimic the functions of HDL, the "good" cholesterol.
Specifically, the peptide component of ETC-642 mimics the biological
properties of apolipoproteinA-I, the major protein in HDL, to promote
cholesterol removal from artery walls and other tissues and enhance reverse
lipid transport. In pre-clinical and Phase I clinical studies, ETC-642 has
been shown to enhance cholesterol mobilization and increase HDL-cholesterol
levels. In June 2003, Esperion initiated a Phase I multiple-dose clinical
trial of ETC-642 in patients with stable cardiovascular disease. A second
Phase I single-dose study, also in patients with stable cardiovascular
disease, is ongoing. An initial Phase I single-dose study of ETC-642 was
completed in 2002.
Esperion Therapeutics
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops pharmaceutical products
for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Esperion intends to commercialize
a novel class of drugs that focuses on a new treatment approach called "HDL
Therapy," which is based on the Company's understanding of high-density
lipoprotein, or HDL, function. HDL is the primary facilitator of the reverse
lipid transport, or RLT, pathway by which excess cholesterol and other lipids
are removed from artery walls and other tissues and are transported to the
liver for elimination from the body. Esperion's goal is to develop drugs that
exploit the beneficial functions of HDL within the RLT pathway. Esperion
currently has product candidates under development for the treatment of
cardiovascular disease. Esperion is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under
the symbol "ESPR."
Safe Harbor Statement
The information contained in this press release includes "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These forward-looking statements are often identified by words such
as "hope," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "require,"
"intend," "assume" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date of this press release, reflect management's current
expectations, estimations and projections and involve certain factors, such as
risks and uncertainties, that may cause actual results, performance or
achievements to be far different from those suggested by the Company's
forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to,
risks associated with: the Company's ability to successfully execute its
business strategies, including entering into strategic partnerships or other
transactions; the progress and cost of development of the Company's product
candidates; the extent and timing of market acceptance of new products
developed by the Company or its competitors; the Company's dependence on third
parties to conduct clinical trials for the Company's product candidates; the
extent and timing of regulatory approval, as desired or required, for the
Company's product candidates; the Company's dependence on licensing
arrangements and strategic relationships with third parties; clinical trials;
manufacturing; the Company's dependence on patents and proprietary rights; any
litigation, proceedings or other disruption of management's time resulting
from acquisition of the Company's common stock by the Sacane Group; the
procurement, maintenance, enforcement and defense of the Company's patents and
proprietary rights; competitive conditions in the industry; business cycles
affecting the markets in which any of the Company's future products may be
sold; extraordinary events and transactions; seeking and consummating business
acquisitions, including the diversion of management's attention to the
assimilation of the operations and personnel of any acquired business; the
timing and extent of the Company's financing needs and the Company's access to
funding, including through the equity market, particularly in light of the
impact on the market value of our common stock of matters outside of our
control, such as trading activities by third parties; fluctuations in foreign
exchange rates; and economic conditions generally or in various geographic
areas. Because all of the foregoing factors are difficult to forecast, you
should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. More
detailed information about some of these and other risk factors is set forth
in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company does not intend to update any of these factors or to publicly announce
the results of any revisions to any of these forward-looking statements other
than as required under the federal securities laws.
Company Contact: Amy Cannon
Manager, Corporate Communications
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
(734) 222-1801
acannon@esperion.com
Media Contact: Jim Wetmore
Berry & Company Public Relations
(212) 253-8881
jwetmore@berrypr.com
SOURCE Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.esperion.com
CONTACT:
Amy Cannon, Manager, Corporate Communications
of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., +1-734-222-1801,
acannon@esperion.com ; or Jim Wetmore of Berry & Company Public
Relations, +1-212-253-8881, jwetmore@berrypr.com , for Esperion
Therapeutics, Inc.
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