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Savient Pharmaceuticals Announces Official Support of the American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation's Annual 5K Run/Walk

Posted on: Friday, 3 November 2006, 09:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced its official financial support of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Research and Education Foundation's (REF) Annual 5K Run/Walk. The event will take place on Monday, November 13 and will coincide with the 2006 ACR Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C.

This year, Savient Pharmaceuticals also will match the minimum required donation of $50 made by each REF Annual 5K Run/Walk participant to support the recently launched Gout & Uric Acid Education Society, a nonprofit organization of healthcare professionals dedicated to educating the public about gout and other related health consequences.

"Savient is extremely pleased to once again support the ACR's Research and Education Foundation as we share a commitment to strengthening the future of rheumatology through research," said Christopher Clement, President and CEO of Savient Pharmaceuticals. "We would also like to recognize the launch of the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society and their efforts to educate the public about gout, one of the most common rheumatic illnesses today. It is Savient's hope that our support of both organizations will help make a difference in the lives of patients whose quality of life is often compromised by this challenging and painful disorder."

About the 2006 REF 5K Run/Walk

The REF Annual 5K Run/ Walk will be held on Monday, November 13 from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Participants may register on site at the Washington Convention Center until 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 12 or until the event sells out. A minimum donation of $50 to the REF is required for participation in the event. Complimentary shuttle service will be provided from convention hotels to the run course. All participants will receive an official race t-shirt, as well as refreshments.

About Gout

There are an estimated 5 million Americans with gout, including over 100,000 patients for whom conventional therapy is contraindicated or has been ineffective. Gout results from deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid in connective tissue and in the joints. These deposits lead to inflammatory arthritis, which causes joint swelling, redness, heat, pain, stiffness and damage to the affected joints. In patients for whom conventional therapy is contraindicated or has been ineffective, the disease can become chronic, progressively worsen and cause debilitating flares of pain and swelling, development of tophi, loss of joint functionality, renal disease and kidney stones. Over 2 million gout patients are treated for their hyperuricemia with the urate lowering drug, allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, which may take a period of years to achieve meaningful clinical outcomes, if ever.

About Puricase (PEG-uricase) Phase 3 Clinical Studies

Savient is conducting phase 3 clinical studies with Puricase(R) (PEG-uricase) in symptomatic gout patients who cannot benefit from conventional therapies. There is currently no available treatment option for this subset of gout patients. The Phase 3 program is designed to compare the safety and efficacy of Puricase (PEG-uricase) administered by two-hour intravenous infusion every two weeks or every four weeks versus placebo infusion, over a six-month period. Eligible patients must have hyperuricemia and symptomatic gout, and have been unresponsive to or intolerant of conventional therapy. All patients who complete the placebo-controlled trials will be invited to participate in a long-term open label extension.

Efficacy endpoints will include the level of uric acid control, an assessment of the reduction in burden of gout tophi using digital photography, reduction in the frequency of gout flares, improvement in the count of swollen and tender joints, and improvements in patient reported outcomes using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI).

Savient licensed exclusive, worldwide rights to the technologies related to Puricase (PEG-uricase) from Duke University (Duke) of North Carolina and Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (MVP), a California corporation. Duke developed the recombinant porcine uricase enzyme and MVP developed the PEGylation technology. MVP and Duke were granted U.S. and foreign patents covering the licensed technology. Puricase is a registered trademark of Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

About Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Savient Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing and marketing pharmaceutical products that target unmet medical needs in both niche and broader markets. The Company's lead product development candidate, Puricase(R) (PEG-uricase) for treatment failure gout, has reported positive Phase 1 and 2 clinical data; patient dosing in Phase 3 clinical studies began in May 2006. Savient's experienced management team is committed to advancing its pipeline and expanding its product portfolio by in-licensing late-stage compounds and exploring co-promotion and co-development opportunities that fit the Company's expertise in specialty pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals with an initial focus in rheumatology. Savient also markets Oxandrin(R) (oxandrolone tablets, USP) CIII in the U.S. Puricase is a registered trademark of Mountain View Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Further information on Savient can be accessed by visiting: http://www.savientpharma.com/.

FORWARD-LOOKING LANGUAGE

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such statements. These risks, trends and uncertainties are in some instances beyond Savient's control.

Words such as "anticipate,""believe,""estimate,""expect,""intend,""plan,""will" and other similar expressions help identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Savient's business and the biopharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceutical industries in which Savient operates. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Savient's stock price and market conditions, delay or failure in developing Puricase(R) (PEG-uricase) and other product candidates, difficulties of expanding Savient's product portfolio through in-licensing, introduction of generic competition for Oxandrin(R), fluctuations in buying patterns of wholesalers, potential future returns of Oxandrin(R) or other products, Savient's continuing to incur substantial net losses for the foreseeable future, difficulties in obtaining financing, potential development of alternative technologies or more effective products by competitors, reliance on third-parties to manufacture, market and distribute many of Savient's products, economic, political and other risks associated with foreign operations, risks of maintaining protection for Savient's intellectual property, risks of an adverse determination in ongoing or future intellectual property litigation, and risks associated with stringent government regulation of the biopharmaceutical industry. Savient may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in Savient's forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that Savient makes. Stockholders should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date of this press release. Savient's forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments that Savient may make. Except as required by law, Savient does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Media Contact: Carol Cartwright At ACR: (908) 244-6406 After ACR: (800) 477-9626 carolc@mcspr.com

Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CONTACT: Carol Cartwright of ACR, +1-908-244-6406, carolc@mcspr.com, orafter ACR, 1-800-477-9626, for Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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