SAN DIEGO, Sept. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:CNAT), a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines to treat liver disease, will host an invitation-only symposium on portal hypertension for institutional investors and research analysts on Thursday, September 27, 2018, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET in New York.
The symposium will feature presentations by leading portal hypertension experts:
- Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao, M.D., Professor of Medicine in the Section of Digestive Diseases at Yale School of Medicine, Director of the Clinical and Translational Core at Yale Liver Center, and Chief of the Section of Digestive Diseases at the Veterans Administration-Connecticut Health Care System, will address the clinical importance of portal hypertension.
- Jaime Bosch, M.D., Ph.D., Guest Professor of Hepatology at Inselspital, Bern University, Switzerland, Emeritus Professor of Medicine in the Liver Unit at the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, and Chairman of the Baveno Cooperation, will address the pathophysiology of portal hypertension.
- Steven Mento, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Conatus, will provide a brief overview of the company’s pan-caspase inhibitor, emricasan, and its potential as a treatment for portal hypertension.
A question and answer period will follow the formal presentations. Questions may be submitted in advance or during the live event by email to questions@lifesciadvisors.com. A webcast of the event will be available live and archived in the Investors section of the company’s website at www.conatuspharma.com.
The company is conducting three Phase 2b clinical trials in collaboration with Novartis – the EmricasaN, a Caspase inhibitOR, for Evaluation (ENCORE) trials, designed to evaluate emricasan in patients with fibrosis or cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH):
- ENCORE-PH (for Portal Hypertension), initiated in the fourth quarter of 2016, in approximately 240 patients with compensated or early decompensated NASH cirrhosis and severe portal hypertension, with top-line results expected in the fourth quarter of 2018 followed by an integrated treatment extension period for clinical outcomes;
- ENCORE-NF (for NASH Fibrosis), initiated in the first quarter of 2016, in approximately 330 patients with NASH fibrosis, with top-line results expected in the first half of 2019; and
- ENCORE-LF (for Liver Function), initiated in the second quarter of 2017, in approximately 210 patients with decompensated NASH cirrhosis, with top-line results expected in the second half of 2019.
About Conatus Pharmaceuticals
Conatus is a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines to treat liver disease. In collaboration with Novartis, Conatus is developing its lead compound, emricasan, for the treatment of patients with chronic liver disease. Emricasan is a first-in-class, orally active pan-caspase inhibitor designed to reduce the activity of enzymes that mediate inflammation and apoptosis. Conatus believes that by reducing the activity of these enzymes, caspase inhibitors have the potential to interrupt the progression of a variety of diseases. For additional information, please visit www.conatuspharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding: caspase inhibitors' potential to interrupt the progression of a variety of diseases. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those risks described in the company’s prior press releases and in the periodic reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The events and circumstances reflected in the company’s forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, the company does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
CONTACT: Alan Engbring
Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(858) 376-2637
aengbring@conatuspharma.com