NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emmaus Life Sciences (Emmaus) announced today it has opened an office in Midtown Manhattan to support the commercial launch of EndariTM (L-glutamine oral powder). Endari is an innovative oral treatment for sickle cell disease approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pediatric and adult patients ages 5 years and older.
The new office will support a sales team focused on commercial sales for Endari, which became available by prescription in January 2018. Endari is currently covered under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program for qualifying Medicaid patients.
“The majority of patients with sickle cell disease live in the Eastern and Southern regions of the United States. Having a presence in New York will allow us to be close to our customers as we work with physicians, clinicians, patients and advocates to increase availability of Endari across the U.S.,” said Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH, Chairman and CEO of Emmaus. “With the help of our sales team, we’re looking forward to entering our next phase as a commercial organization — getting Endari to the many patients who need it.”
About Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of an altered form of hemoglobin which polymerizes and becomes fibrous, causing red blood cells to become rigid and change form so that they appear sickle shaped instead of soft and rounded. Patients with Sickle Cell Disease suffer from debilitating episodes of sickle cell crises, which occur when the rigid, adhesive and inflexible red blood cells occlude blood vessels. Sickle cell crises cause excruciating pain as a result of insufficient oxygen being delivered to tissue, referred to as tissue ischemia, and inflammation. These events may lead to a variety of other adverse outcomes such as acute chest syndrome that requires hospitalization. Sickle Cell Disease is an orphan disease, affecting approximately 100,000 patients in the U.S. and millions worldwide with significant unmet medical needs.
About Endari™
Indication
Endari is indicated to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients 5 years of age and older.
Important Safety Information
The most common adverse reactions (incidence >10%) in clinical studies were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremities, back pain, and chest pain.
Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation included 1 case each of hypersplenism, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, burning sensation, and hot flash.
The safety and efficacy of Endari in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease younger than 5 years of age has not been established.
For more information, please see full Prescribing Information of Endari at www.ENDARIrx.com/Repository/Prescribing%20information.pdf
About Emmaus Life Sciences
Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative treatments and therapies for rare diseases. The company's research on sickle cell disease was initiated by Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH, Chairman and CEO of Emmaus, at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information, please visit www.emmauslifesciences.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the research, development and potential commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in reports filed by Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Emmaus is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contacts
for Emmaus Life Sciences
Lori Teranishi, 510-290-6160
lteranishi@iq360inc.com