SAN DIEGO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Mar. 27, 2012—ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD), a biopharmaceutical companyfocused on innovative treatments that address unmet medical needs inneurological and related central nervous system disorders, todayannounced that it has been awarded a new grant from The Michael J. FoxFoundation (MJFF) for the further development of Nurr1-RXR selectiveagonists for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The grant of $322,000is a supplemental award to expand on promising initial researchconducted by ACADIA under an earlier grant from MJFF. The initial grantwas made under the Foundation’s Therapeutics Development Initiative(TDI) aimed at supporting preclinical development of Parkinson’s diseasetherapies that have the potential for fundamentally altering diseasecourse and improving treatment of symptoms above and beyond currentstandards of care. The new grant has been awarded to expand upon thework originally awarded through the TDI program.
“Our Foundation is devoted to finding a disease-modifying treatment tohalt the progression of Parkinson’s, the major unmet need for thoseliving with the disease today,” said Jamie Eberling, Ph.D., associatedirector of research programs at MJFF. “Data from ACADIA’s initialexperiments targeting Nurr1 have been encouraging to this end.”
Parkinson’s disease results from a progressive loss of brain cells thatproduce dopaminergic neurons. Scientific evidence suggests that Nurr1, anuclear hormone receptor, plays a critical role in the growth,maintenance and survival of dopaminergic neurons. Scientists at ACADIAdiscovered compounds that selectively activate Nurr1-RXR complexes andpromote viability of dopamine-containing neurons. In early research,these compounds were effective in restoring motor function and neuronalhealth in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease. Future efforts willfocus on further studies of the therapeutic potential andpharmacokinetics of Nurr1-RXR selective agonists.
“We are excited to expand on the promising research findings in ourNurr1 program through the support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation,”said Uli Hacksell, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of ACADIA. “We remaincommitted to advancing innovative therapeutic approaches that have thepotential to improve the quality of life of patients suffering fromParkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders.”
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological disorderthat is characterized by well-known motor symptoms including tremors,limb stiffness, slowness of movements, and difficulties with posture andbalance, as well as by non-motor symptoms. Parkinson’s disease is thesecond most common neurological disorder and about one million people inthe United States, and from four to six million people worldwide, sufferfrom this disease. Parkinson’s disease is more common in people over 60years of age and its prevalence is expected to increase significantly asthe average age of the population increases.
About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
ACADIA is a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative treatmentsthat address unmet medical needs in neurological and related centralnervous system disorders. ACADIA has four product candidates in clinicaldevelopment led by pimavanserin, which is in Phase III development as apotential first-in-class treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis.ACADIA’s other clinical-stage products include collaborative programsfor chronic pain and glaucoma with Allergan, Inc. and a collaborativeprogram for schizophrenia with Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. In addition,ACADIA has preclinical programs directed at Parkinson’s disease andother neurological disorders. All of ACADIA’s product candidates aresmall molecules that emanate from discoveries made using its proprietarydrug discovery platform. ACADIA maintains a website at www.acadia-pharm.comto which ACADIA regularly posts copies of its press releases as well asadditional information and through which interested parties cansubscribe to receive e-mail alerts.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure forParkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda andto ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living withParkinson’s today. In addition to funding more than $285 million inresearch to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered thetrajectory of progress toward a cure. For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical innature are forward-looking statements. These statements include but arenot limited to statements related to the development of new Parkinson’sdisease therapies, including Nurr1-RXR agonists and pimavanserin, themission of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, ACADIA’s anticipatedpreclinical testing of Nurr1-RXR agonists, the anticipated increasingprevalence of Parkinson’s disease, the progress and timing of ACADIA’sdrug discovery and development programs, either alone or with a partner,including clinical trials, and the potential of and the benefits to bederived from ACADIA’s programs, in each case including the Nurr1program. These statements are only predictions based on currentinformation and expectations and involve a number of risks anduncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from thoseprojected in any of such statements due to various factors, includingthe risks and uncertainties inherent in drug discovery, development andcommercialization, and collaborations with others, and the fact thatpast results, including clinical trials, may not be indicative of futureresults, as well as risks relating to our funding requirements. For adiscussion of these and other factors, please refer to ACADIA’s annualreport on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 as well asother subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-lookingstatements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is madeunder the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are qualified intheir entirety by this cautionary statement and ACADIA undertakes noobligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events orcircumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.
Source: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Uli Hacksell, Ph.D., ChiefExecutive Officer
(858) 558-2871