Esperion Announces Positive Results of Phase 1 Study of ETC-1001 ANN ARBOR, Michigan, December 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Orally-administered small molecule product candidate is in development as a chronic treatment for lipid disorders Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESPR) today announced the successful completion of a Phase 1 study of ETC-1001, the Company's first small molecule investigational product candidate. Results of the study provide evidence that the investigational therapy was safe and well tolerated in healthy volunteers receiving a single dose of ETC-1001. Esperion expects to initiate a multiple-dose Phase 1 study of ETC-1001 in the first half of 2004. The Phase 1 clinical trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 36 healthy volunteers and was designed to determine the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of ETC-1001. Volunteers received single doses of ETC-1001 over a broad range of dose levels and were monitored for 72 hours following dosing. The results indicate that ETC-1001 was safe and well tolerated at all dose levels tested. No serious adverse events occurred. Esperion's small molecule discovery program is focused on identifying and developing new treatments for patients with lipid disorders, which can be characterised by excess levels of LDL-cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides and/or low levels of HDL-cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, patients with lipid disorders are at elevated risk for developing heart disease. Esperion intends to develop small molecules as orally-administered chronic therapies to complement existing medications such as statins. In addition to ETC-1001, other small molecules in pre-clinical development at Esperion show promise as potential candidates for future clinical development. Esperion was recently granted a fourth patent for the small molecule discovery program. Eleven additional U.S. patent applications and corresponding foreign applications are pending in support of the small molecule program. "We continue to see great potential in the application of oral small molecule therapies for the treatment of lipid disorders and are encouraged by the results of our efforts thus far," stated Roger S. Newton, Ph.D., President and CEO of Esperion Therapeutics. "With the positive results from the Phase 1 study of ETC-1001, our progress in pre-clinical research and our strong and growing patent estate, Esperion is well positioned to develop the small molecule discovery program." ETC-1001 is a synthetic, orally-active, lipid-regulating agent designed to elevate levels of HDL-cholesterol. In pre-clinical studies, ETC-1001 demonstrated the ability to elevate HDL-cholesterol levels, while also reducing levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. ETC-1001 was also shown to inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis in pre-clinical studies. Esperion Therapeutics Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops pharmaceutical products for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Esperion intends to commercialise 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 for transport 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 four product candidates in clinical development. 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; litigation, proceedings, investigations and other disruptions of management's time resulting from the acquisition of the Company's common stock by various persons associated with Scott Sacane; the procurement, maintenance, enforcement and defence 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 the Company's common stock of matters outside of the Company's 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 Amy Cannon Contact: Manager, Corporate Communications Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. +1 (734) 222-1801 acannon@esperion.com Media Jim Wetmore Contact: Berry & Company Public Relations +1 (212) 253-8881 jwetmore@berrypr.com DATASOURCE: PR Newswire (New York) 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. FCMN Contact: jwetmore@berrypr.com Web site: http://www.esperion.com (ESPR)

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