HOUSTON, May 1, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:ENCY) and Encysive (UK) Limited, the Company's European operations, today announced plans to participate in three European medical conferences during 2007. The Company will also provide educational funding to two rheumatology-related organizations in order to further advance its commitment to scientific research and medical education for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and related diseases.
Encysive plans to participate actively, including participation in scientific symposia, in the following upcoming European medical conferences:
* European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) June 13-16, Barcelona * European Society of Cardiology (ESC) September 1-5, Vienna * European Respiratory Society (ERS) September 15-19, Stockholm
"THELIN(r)(1) has been launched in the United Kingdom, Germany, Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands, and physicians are beginning to evaluate its benefits in their patients," said Thierry A. Plouvier, M.D., Vice President of Encysive's European Operations. "EULAR, ESC and ERS are all well-recognized and respected forums for presenting scientific and clinical information. We look forward to presenting data regarding THELIN's benefits in PAH and demonstrating our commitment to exploring its therapeutic potential in diastolic heart failure and other potential indications."
During 2007, Encysive will also provide educational grants to the EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) group and the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) initiative to further advance medical research and medical education. EUSTAR, www.eustar.org, aims to foster the awareness, understanding and research of scleroderma and its management throughout Europe. OMERACT, www.omeract.org, is an international network striving to improve outcome measurements for rheumatology studies through a data driven, interactive consensus process.
Marco Matucci-Cerinic, M.D., Professor of Rheumatology and Medicine, University of Florence, Italy, and chairman of EUSTAR, added, "We appreciate that Encysive has demonstrated its full commitment to supporting research and educational programs that improve scleroderma patients' early diagnosis, quality of life and access to safe and effective treatments."
THELIN(r) (Sitaxentan Sodium(2)) Overview
THELIN is an endothelin A receptor antagonist, a small molecule that blocks the action of endothelin, a potent mediator of blood vessel constriction and growth of smooth muscle in vascular walls. Endothelin receptor antagonists may prove to be effective in the treatment of a variety of diseases where the regulation of vascular constriction is important. THELIN is 6,500-fold selective in the targeting of the endothelin A receptor versus the endothelin B receptor. Highly selective endothelin A receptor antagonism has been shown to increase blood flow and reverse vasoconstriction in human clinical pharmacology studies.
In August 2006, the European Commission granted marketing authorization for THELIN 100 mg tablets in all 27 member states of the European Union. THELIN is indicated for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) classified as World Health Organization (WHO) functional class III, to improve exercise capacity. Efficacy has been shown in primary pulmonary hypertension(3) and pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue disease. THELIN is the first selective endothelin A receptor antagonist, and first once daily oral treatment available for patients with PAH. In 2006, THELIN was launched in the United Kingdom and Germany, and in 2007 has been launched in the Netherlands and in Ireland. THELIN will be launched in additional EU member states as local government approval for reimbursement is obtained. For more information, please visit www.encysive.com.
About PAH
PAH is estimated to afflict approximately 100,000 to 200,000 people in North America and Europe. The disease is characterized by high blood pressure and structural changes in the walls of the pulmonary arteries, the blood vessels that connect the right side of the heart to the lungs. As these arteries become increasingly constricted, blood flow and oxygenation may be inadequate to meet the body's demands. Since the heart must then pump harder to overcome the resistance, patients are susceptible to heart failure.
About Encysive Pharmaceuticals
Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, synthetic, small molecule compounds to address unmet medical needs. Our research and development programs are predominantly focused on the treatment and prevention of interrelated diseases of the vascular endothelium and exploit our expertise in the area of the intravascular inflammatory process, referred to as the inflammatory cascade, and vascular diseases. To learn more about Encysive Pharmaceuticals please visit our web site: www.encysive.com.
The Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=843
(1) THELIN is an EU registered trademark of Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(2) "Sitaxentan" sodium is the spelling recognized by the World Health Organization for Encysive Pharmaceuticals' sitaxsentan sodium.
(3) Primary pulmonary hypertension is also known as idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those risks, trends and uncertainties are: our ability to raise additional capital to fund cash requirements for future operations; acceptance of Thelin in the EU by physicians and the actual rate of acceptance; the impact of reimbursement policies and governmental regulation of prices for Thelin in the EU; and our ability to obtain regulatory approvals for additional indications for Thelin in the future, as well as more specific risks, trends and uncertainties facing Encysive such as those set forth in its reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks, trends and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore you should not rely on any such forward-looking statements. Furthermore, Encysive undertakes no duty to update or revise these forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits this discussion.