SAN DIEGO (August 1, 2017) – Retrophin, Inc. (NASDAQ: RTRX) today announced that Stephen Aselage, chief executive officer, has been named by PharmaVOICE magazine to the 2017 PharmaVOICE 100 – an award that recognizes the 100 Most Inspiring People in the life sciences industry. Mr. Aselage has been acknowledged for his leadership during a remarkable period of growth in Retrophin’s clinical and operational development while pursuing the Company’s mission of delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases who have few, if any, treatment options.
With Mr. Aselage at the helm, the Company recently generated positive data from its Phase 2 DUET study of sparsentan, which could be the first FDA-approved pharmacologic treatment option for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disorder. Plans to advance sparsentan into Phase 3 clinical development are underway. In addition, Retrophin has recently advanced its novel, investigational, small molecule replacement therapy, RE-024 (fosmetpantotenate), into Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a life-threatening, genetic neurological disorder. The Company recently announced it has begun patient dosing in its FORT (FOsmetpantotenate Replacement Therapy) Study – an international, registrational Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating RE-024 in PKAN.
Also under Mr. Aselage’s leadership, the 150 team members at Retrophin have rallied around the Company’s mission and worked closely with the rare disease community to ensure that patients have access to the medications in the Company’s current commercial portfolio (Thiola®, Cholbam® and Chenodal®), as well as free, personalized and comprehensive support services provided by the Company’s Total Care HUB ® in an effort to help them achieve the best possible therapeutic outcomes.
“I am humbled to be recognized among this select group of life science leaders who are equally dedicated to innovating patient care,” said Mr. Aselage. “Furthermore, I am proud of the significant strides the Retrophin team has made to advance potential treatment options for people with rare and underserved conditions like FSGS and PKAN. Every day, we come to work motivated to make a difference in the lives of people with rare diseases.”
Now in its 12th year, the PharmaVOICE 100 celebrates men and women in the life sciences industry who have inspired their peers, colleagues and companies through their innovative approaches and strong leadership.
To view Mr. Aselage’s full PharmaVOICE 100 profile, visit the July/August 2017 online edition.
About Retrophin
Retrophin is a San Diego-based, fully integrated biopharmaceutical company dedicated to delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases who have few, if any, treatment options. The Company's approach centers on its pipeline featuring late-stage assets targeting rare diseases with significant unmet medical needs, including sparsentan for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a disorder characterized by progressive scarring of the kidney often leading to end-stage renal disease, and RE-024 for pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a life-threatening neurological disorder that typically begins in early childhood. Research exploring the potential of early-stage assets in additional rare diseases is also underway. Retrophin's R&D efforts are supported by revenues from the Company's commercial products Thiola®, Cholbam® and Chenodal®.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the foregoing, these statements are often identified by the words "may", "might", "believes", "thinks", "anticipates", "plans", "expects", "intends" or similar expressions. In addition, expressions of our strategies, intentions or plans are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and finances in general, success of its commercial products as well as risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's preclinical and clinical stage pipeline. Specifically, the Company faces risks associated with market acceptance of its marketed products including efficacy, safety, price, reimbursement and benefit over competing therapies. The risks and uncertainties the Company faces with respect to its preclinical and clinical stage pipeline include risk that the Company's clinical candidates will not be found to be safe or effective and that planned clinical trials will not proceed as planned. Specifically, the Company faces the risk that the planned Phase 3 clinical trial of sparsentan will not demonstrate that sparsentan is safe or effective or serve as a basis for accelerated approval of sparsentan as planned; risk that the Phase 3 clinical trial of RE-024 will not demonstrate that RE-024 is safe or effective or serve as the basis for an NDA filing as planned; and risk that the Company’s product candidates will not be approved for efficacy, safety, regulatory or other reasons, and for each of the programs, risk associated with enrollment of clinical trials for rare diseases and risk that ongoing or planned clinical trials may not succeed or may be delayed for safety, regulatory or other reasons. The Company faces risk that it will be unable to raise additional funding that may be required to complete development of any or all of its product candidates; risk relating to the Company's dependence on contractors for clinical drug supply and commercial manufacturing; uncertainties relating to patent protection and intellectual property rights of third parties; and risks and uncertainties relating to competitive products and technological changes that may limit demand for the Company's products. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond our control. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties as included in the Company's most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.