EPROTIROME STUDY SELECTED FOR ORAL PRESENTATION AT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY MEETING

Karo Bio announces today that data from a clinical proof of concept phase IIb study with eprotirome has been accepted for presentation at the Late-Breaking-Clinical-Trial session at the Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting in Orlando, Florida, March 29-31. The presentation will be given by Professor Bo Angelin from the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm on March 29 with the title “Eprotirome as a Novel and Physiological Approach to CVD Risk Reduction: Beneficial Effects on Lipoprotein Levels When Added to Statin Therapy”.

Eprotirome is a novel, selective, thyroid hormone receptor agonist, developed for treatment of dyslipidemia. In 2008, Karo Bio conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized, double blind, 12-week phase IIb study in 189 patients with increased levels of serum cholesterol. Three different doses of eprotirome (25, 50 and 100 µg) were tested as add-on to statin treatment. It is concluded that eprotirome has clinically relevant and statistically significant effects, additive to the effects of the statins used. The study also shows the combination to be well-tolerated and safe.

Eprotirome has a unique profile in producing simultaneous and powerful reductions of multiple independent risk factors for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. With its multiple effects on LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, apoB (marker for atherogenic particles), triglycerides and lipoprotein(a), eprotirome has a clear potential to become an important new drug for treatment of dyslipidemia.

“Our clinical study with eprotirome has been selected for presentation at the ACC meeting which is one of the world’s most important cardiology conferences. This is an important recognition, and it will further increase the visibility for eprotirome internationally. Detailed data from the study, where eprotirome has been given as add on to statin treatment, will be published in a peer reviewed international medical journal”, says Per Olof Wallström, President of Karo Bio.


For further information, please contact:
Per Olof Wallström, President & Chief Executive Officer
Phone: +46 8 608 60 20

Per Otteskog, Senior Vice President
Phone: +46 8 608 60 18



About dyslipidemia treatment and opportunities for eprotirome
Consequences of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease such as coronary heart disease and stroke are major medical problems, and there is a need to develop improved means to treat these disorders by reducing important risk factors such as serum LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoprotein(a).

Statins are a class of compounds that are widely used for treatment of elevated LDL-cholesterol. The global sales of statins were in the range of USD 15-20 billion in 2007. In spite of active treatment of high blood lipids with increasing doses of statins over the last 15 years, and achieving subsequent reductions of heart disease and stroke by some 30%, the morbidity and mortality for cardiovascular atherosclerotic disease remain high. The treatment goals for acceptable LDL-cholesterol levels have been generally lowered over the years, specifically for high risk patients. Combination therapies have become more common as it proves difficult to reach the treatment target by one medication only. Apart from LDL-cholesterol there is a growing awareness that it is important to lower additional risk factors such as triglycerides and lipoprotein(a). Recent data indicate that lipoprotein(a) is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke of the same magnitude as high blood pressure. Until now there have been limited treatment options for patients with elevated lipoprotein(a).

Eprotirome has the potential to be used as second-line therapy for patients who do not reach their treatment goal with statin alone. Due to the combined effect on LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, eprotirome may be well suited for the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia (elevated LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and diabetic dyslipidemia. Further, eprotirome may provide a powerful treatment option for patients with high levels of lipoprotein(a).


About Karo Bio
Karo Bio is a drug discovery and development company specializing in targeting nuclear receptors for the development of novel pharmaceuticals.

The company has a project portfolio with innovative molecules that primarily target dyslipidemia, diabetes and inflammation. In these areas, there are significant market opportunities and a need for pharmaceuticals with new mechanisms of action. Karo Bio develops compounds aimed at treatment of broad patient populations up to clinical proof of concept before out-licensing. In therapeutic niche areas, Karo Bio has capacity to bring selected compounds into late stage clinical develop¬ment and, potentially, to the market. In addition to the proprietary projects, Karo Bio has three strategic collaborations with international pharmaceutical companies for development of innovative therapies for the treatment of common diseases.

Karo Bio is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm since 1998 (Reuters: KARO.ST).

This press release is also available online at: www.karobio.com and www.newsroom.cision.com