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LONDON, Sept. 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verona Pharma plc (AIM:VRP) (NASDAQ:VRNA) (“Verona Pharma”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for respiratory diseases, announces today positive top-line results from its Phase 2a clinical trial, in which RPL554 was dosed in addition to tiotropium (Spiriva®), one of the most commonly used drugs to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In summary, despite the limited number of patients, the data from this Phase 2a trial demonstrated significantly improved peak lung function when RPL554 was added to tiotropium in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD.

MALVERN, Pa., Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS), a dermatologist-led, biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing innovative and differentiated therapies to address significant unmet needs in medical and aesthetic dermatology, today announced the appointment of Andrew Schiff, Managing Partner of Aisling Capital, to its board of directors, effective August 9, 2017.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR), the Lipid Management Company focused on developing and commercializing convenient, complementary, cost-effective, once-daily, oral therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), today announced positive top-line results from the Phase 2 clinical study (1002-038), also known as the triplet oral therapy study, evaluating the LDL-C lowering efficacy and safety of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination (bempedoic acid 180 mg, ezetimibe 10 mg) plus atorvastatin 20 mg, versus placebo, in patients with hypercholesterolemia. The six-week study met its primary endpoint of greater LDL-C lowering from baseline of 64 percent (p<0.001) in the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination plus atorvastatin group, as compared to placebo. Ninety five percent of patients receiving treatment achieved greater than or equal to 50 percent LDL-C lowering reduction and 90 percent achieved LDL-C levels of less than 70 mg/dL.

MALVERN, Pa., Aug. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (“Aclaris”) (NASDAQ:ACRS), a dermatologist-led, biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing innovative and differentiated therapies to address significant unmet needs in medical and aesthetic dermatology, today announced that it has acquired Confluence Life Sciences, Inc.(“Confluence”), a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of kinase inhibitors to treat inflammatory and immunological disorders and cancer.  At the closing, Aclaris paid approximately $10 million in cash and issued approximately 350,000 shares of its common stock, with a value of approximately $10 million on the closing date, to the former equityholders of Confluence.

STAMFORD, Conn., July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Loxo Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOXO), a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced that the company has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor program from Redx Pharma Plc. The lead candidate from this program is expected to enter clinical development in 2018.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sientra, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIEN), a medical aesthetics company, announced today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Miramar Labs, Inc., for an aggregate transaction value of $20 million in upfront cash, plus contractual rights for potential contingent payments of up to $14 million in cash upon the achievement of certain milestones. The acquisition of Miramar significantly broadens Sientra’s aesthetics portfolio, adding the miraDry system, the only FDA cleared device to reduce underarm sweat, odor and permanently reduce hair of all colors. The miraDry non-invasive procedure is safe and highly efficacious with a proven commercial and clinical track record.

LEXINGTON, Mass., July 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — T2 Biosystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTOO), an emerging leader in the development of innovative diagnostic products to improve patient health, announced today that it has received a CE Mark for its T2Bacteria Panel, allowing for the sale and distribution of the product within the European Union and those countries accepting the CE Mark. The T2Bacteria Panel runs on the Company’s proprietary T2Dx® Instrument and provides highly accurate species-specific test results of targeted bacterial infections direct from whole blood in as fast as about 3.5 hours, and without the need for a time-consuming blood culture. The T2Bacteria Panel is currently available in the United States for Research Use Only (RUO) and the Company is in the final stages of completing the FDA pivotal trial, after which a 510(k) application will be submitted to the FDA. Patient enrollment in the trial is currently 92% complete and the company is very pleased with the product performance demonstrated to date, which for the prospective arm of the study is showing an average sensitivity of 96% and average specificity of 98%.

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Menlo Therapeutics Inc. announced today that the company has raised $50M to advance development of serlopitant, a novel NK-1 receptor antagonist, as a once-daily oral treatment for pruritus (itch) associated with atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and prurigo nodularis and for treatment of refractory chronic cough.  venBio led the financing and was joined by Novo Holdings A/S, Rock Springs Capital, Aisling Capital, and Bay City Capital as new Menlo Therapeutics investors in this Series C financing. All of Menlo Therapeutics’ Series A and B investors also participated in the financing, including Vivo Capital, Presidio Partners, Remeditex, and F-Prime Capital.

BOSTON, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRTK) announced today positive top-line results from a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study comparing its once-daily, oral investigational antibiotic, omadacycline, to twice-daily oral linezolid in the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). The study met all of its primary and secondary endpoints required to support approval for this indication by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This represents the third positive Phase 3 registration study of omadacycline.

PLYMOUTH, Minn., July 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Entellus Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENTL), a medical technology company focused on delivering minimally invasive ENT procedures, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Spirox, Inc., a privately-held ENT medical technology company that develops, manufactures and markets the LATERA™ Absorbable Nasal Implant, a minimally invasive option for ENTs and facial plastic surgeons to treat nasal airway obstruction. The company also announced preliminary second quarter 2017 revenue results and updated full year 2017 revenue guidance. Under the terms of the agreement, Entellus has agreed to acquire Spirox for $25 million in cash and 3.4 million shares of Entellus common stock, plus additional contingent payments over four years based on revenue growth.