CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:AEGR), an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat severe lipid disorders, today acknowledged the publication of the National Lipid Association's (NLA) guidelines for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). There are six articles in total published in the April 2011 Journal of Clinical Lipidology summarizing the consensus opinion of the National Lipid Association's Expert Panel on Familial Hypercholesterolemia with respect to the prevalence of the disease and recommended clinical criteria for diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and adult patient populations across the spectrum of FH severity.
FH is a genetic disorder which results in severe elevations of blood cholesterol levels and increased risk of premature coronary heart disease. FH is among the most commonly occurring congenital metabolic disorders. The new guidelines set forth by the NLA provide specific clinical guidance for primary care clinicians and lipid specialists with the goal of improving care of patients with FH and reducing patients' elevated risk for coronary heart disease. The guidelines also de-emphasize the role and value of genetic testing to diagnose the disorder.
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals is currently in late-stage clinical development with their drug candidate, Lomitapide, to treat genetic lipid disorders. To view the full articles, please visit: http://www.lipidjournal.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected regulatory filings for and commercialization of the Company's lead product candidate, lomitapide. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include, the Company's history of operating losses; the Company's potential need for additional capital to fund operations and develop its product candidates; uncertainties associated with the clinical development and associated regulatory filings of the Company's product candidates, including the risk that the Company's regulatory filings may not be accepted by the applicable regulatory authorities; the risk that the Company's product candidates may not be approved for any indication, or if approved; the risk that the finally approved definition of the targeted patient populations for the Company's product candidates may be narrower than expected; risks associated with undesirable side effects experienced by some patients in clinical trials for the Company's product candidates; risks associated with the Company's lack of sales and marketing experience; the highly competitive industry in which the Company operates; risks associated with the Company's intellectual property rights and the extent to which such intellectual property rights protect the Company's product candidates; the risk that third parties may allege that the Company infringes their intellectual property rights or that the Company has failed to comply with the provisions of its in-license agreements; risks associated with the Company's reliance on third parties, in particular clinical research organizations and contract manufacturers; risks associated with the Company's ability to recruit, hire and retain qualified personnel; and risks associated with volatility in the Company's stock price as a newly public company. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by the Company, see the disclosure contained in the Company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's recent Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading "Risk Factors" and available on its investor relations website at http://www.aegerion.com and on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
CONTACT: Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporate Will Lewis, President +1 (908) 707-2100 LaVoie Group, Inc. Investors & Media Amanda Murphy +1 (978) 745-4200 x107 amurphy@lavoiegroup.com