Orexigen Therapeutics Announces Spanish Launch of Mysimba® (naltrexone HCl / bupropion HCl prolonged release) in Partnership with Laboratorios Farmacéuticos Rovi, S.A.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OREX) today announced that Laboratorios Farmacéuticos Rovi, S.A. (ROVI) has launched Mysimba in Spain. Mysimba is approved by the European Medicines Agency for the management of weight in adult patients (≥18 years) with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥ 30 kg/m2 (obese), or ≥ 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of one or more weight-related co-morbidities (e.g., type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, or controlled hypertension). ROVI will market Mysimba as part of their diversified pharmaceutical portfolio under the terms of our distributorship agreement signed in August 2016.

"The launch of Mysimba in Spain is an important milestone in our partnership with ROVI, a company who shares our objective to improve the quality of life for patients who are overweight or struggle with obesity," said Mike Narachi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Orexigen. "With this launch, Mysimba is now available for patients in six countries in Europe.  We expect to continue to grow availability of this important therapeutic option for weight management with launches in ten additional European countries in 2017."

Obesity and related comorbidities are a significant health problem in Spain, where approximately 53% of adults are overweight or struggling with obesity, according to recent statistics from the Spanish National Statistics Institute.

Orexigen's partnership with ROVI is a part of the Company's ex-U.S. strategy to establish commercial and distribution partnerships with companies committed to our mission of helping patients struggling to lose weight.  Following a successful partnering process in 2016, Orexigen currently has commercialization arrangements with five different partners covering 38 countries. 

About Laboratorios Farmacéuticos ROVI, S.A.
Laboratorios Farmacéuticos Rovi, S.A. is an integrated and specialized Spanish pharmaceutical company engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of small molecules and biological medical specialties, both its own pharmaceutical products and products licensed externally from companies including Servier, Novartis and Merck. ROVI has commercial expertise across therapeutic areas including endocrinology, cardiology, respiratory, urology and central nervous system, among others. ROVI was founded in 1946 and reported revenues exceeding €246M in 2015.

About Mysimba
Mysimba is approved in the European Union for use as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia). In the United States, the drug is approved as Contrave® (naltrexone HCl / bupropion HCl extended release).

The exact neurochemical effects of Mysimba / Contrave leading to weight loss are not fully understood. Mysimba / Contrave has two components: naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, and bupropion, a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine. Nonclinical studies suggest that naltrexone and bupropion have effects on two separate areas of the brain involved in the regulation of food intake: the hypothalamus (appetite regulatory center) and the mesolimbic dopamine circuit (reward system).

Four 56-week multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of Mysimba / Contrave in conjunction with lifestyle modification in 4,536 subjects randomized to Mysimba / Contrave or placebo. In these studies, the most common adverse reactions (>5 percent) seen in patients taking Mysimba / Contrave included nausea, constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth, and diarrhea.

The clinical trial program also included a double-blind, placebo-controlled cardiovascular outcomes trial known as the Light Study. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in overweight and obese adults with cardiovascular risk factors receiving Contrave. A second study, designed to address post-approval requirements in both Europe and the United States, is planned in order to further evaluate cardiovascular outcomes.

About Orexigen Therapeutics
Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity. Orexigen's first product, Contrave® (naltrexone HCl and bupropion HCl extended release), was approved in the United States in September 2014 and became the most prescribed branded obesity medication in the United States in June 2015. In the European Union, the drug has been approved under the brand name Mysimba® (naltrexone HCl/ bupropion HCl prolonged release). Orexigen is undertaking a range of development and commercialization activities, both on its own and with strategic partners, to bring Contrave / Mysimba to patients around the world.  Further information about Orexigen can be found at www.orexigen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 
Orexigen cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "indicates," "will," "should," "intends," "potential," "suggests," "assuming," "designed" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding: the potential for Mysimba to improve the quality of life for patients who are overweight or struggle with obesity; the potential to grow the availability of Mysimba with commercial launches in ten additional European countries in 2017; the potential for the growth of the obesity problem in Spain; and the potential for ROVI to successfully market Mysimba in Spain. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Orexigen that any of its plans will be achieved.  Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in this release due to the risk and uncertainties inherent in the Orexigen business, including, without limitation: the potential that the marketing and commercialization of Contrave/Mysimba will not be successful, particularly, with respect to Contrave, in the U.S. following the launch of the patient-focused marketing campaign; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain partnerships and marketing authorization globally; our ability to adequately inform consumers about Contrave; our ability to successfully commercialize Contrave with a specialty sales force in the United States; our ability to successfully complete the post-marketing requirement studies for Contrave; the capabilities and performance of various third parties on which we rely for a number of activities related to the manufacture, development and commercialization of Contrave/Mysimba; the therapeutic and commercial value of Contrave/Mysimba; competition in the global obesity market, particularly from existing and generic therapies; the Company's failure to successfully acquire, develop and market additional product candidates or approved products; the estimates of the capacity of manufacturing and the company's ability to secure additional manufacturing capabilities; our ability to obtain and maintain global intellectual property protection for Contrave and Mysimba; legal or regulatory proceedings against Orexigen, as well as potential reputational harm, as a result of misleading public claims about Orexigen; our ability to maintain sufficient capital to fund our operations for the foreseeable future; the potential for a Delaware court to determine that one or more of the patents are not valid or that Actavis' proposed generic product is not infringing each of the patents at issue; and other risks described in Orexigen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and Orexigen undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in Orexigen's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 2016 and its other reports, which are available from the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and on Orexigen's website (www.orexigen.com) under the heading "Investors." All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Orexigen Contact:
Jason Keyes
Chief Financial Officer
Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.
+1-858-875-8600
jkeyes@orexigen.com

Media Contact:
Julie Normart
BrewLife
+1-415-946-1087
jnormart@brewlife.com

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SOURCE Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.