SAN DIEGO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—April 16, 2008—ACADIA PharmaceuticalsInc. (Nasdaq:ACAD), a biopharmaceutical company utilizing innovativetechnology to fuel drug discovery and clinical development of noveltreatments for central nervous system disorders, today announced thatthe company will present data from its previously reported Phase IItrial with pimavanserin for Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP) at the60th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting on April 16, 2008 inChicago, Illinois.
In a poster presentation titled "A Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Escalation Trial of Pimavanserin inParkinson's Disease and Psychosis," ACADIA summarizes data from itsdouble-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II clinical trial that wasdesigned to evaluate the tolerability, safety, and efficacy ofpimavanserin in 60 patients with PDP. The primary endpoint of thestudy was met as pimavanserin did not worsen parkinsonism symptomsthat affect activities of daily living and motor function, as measuredby the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The use ofpimavanserin was shown to be safe and well tolerated. Patients treatedwith pimavanserin also showed improvements in psychosis scores. Thedata suggest that pimavanserin, a selective serotonin 5-HT2A inverseagonist that does not block dopamine D2 receptors, may provideantipsychotic benefit to patients with PDP without adversely affectingmotor function. In contrast, antipsychotics used off-label for thiscondition are generally not well tolerated by patients withParkinson's disease at doses required to achieve antipsychoticeffects.
About Pimavanserin
Pimavanserin tartrate is a novel, potent, and selective 5-HT2Ainverse agonist that ACADIA discovered and is developing as atreatment for PDP. ACADIA is currently conducting two Phase IIIpivotal trials in its program with pimavanserin as a treatment forPDP. ACADIA has also reported positive results from a Phase II trialin its program with pimavanserin as a co-therapy for schizophrenia.
About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
ACADIA is a biopharmaceutical company utilizing innovativetechnology to fuel drug discovery and clinical development of noveltreatments for central nervous system disorders. ACADIA currently hasfive mid-to-late stage clinical programs as well as a portfolio ofpreclinical and discovery assets directed at diseases with large unmetmedical needs, including schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease psychosis,sleep maintenance insomnia, and neuropathic pain. All of the drugcandidates in ACADIA's product pipeline emanate from discoveries madeusing its proprietary drug discovery platform. ACADIA's corporateheadquarters is located in San Diego, California and it maintainsresearch and development operations in both San Diego and Malmo,Sweden.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historicalin nature are forward-looking statements. These statements include butare not limited to statements related to benefits to be derived fromACADIA's preclinical and drug development programs, includingpimavanserin as a treatment for PDP and as a co-therapy forschizophrenia. These statements are only predictions based on currentinformation and expectations and involve a number of risks anduncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially fromthose projected in any of such statements due to various factors,including the risks and uncertainties inherent in clinical trials, anddrug development and commercialization, including the uncertainty ofwhether results in clinical testing of pimavanserin to date will bepredictive of results in later stages of development. For a discussionof these and other factors, please refer to ACADIA's annual report onForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 as well as othersubsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Youare cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-lookingstatements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution ismade under the safe harbor provisions of the Private SecuritiesLitigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements arequalified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and ACADIAundertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release toreflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
CONTACT: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Lisa Barthelemy, Director, Investor Relations
Thomas H. Aasen, Vice President and Chief FinancialOfficer
858-558-2871
SOURCE: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.