UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): February 2, 2015

 

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-35986

 

26-1870780

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

3891 Ranchero Drive, Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI

 


48108

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (734) 887-3903

 

Not Applicable

Former name or former address, if changed since last report

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 8.01 Other Events

 

On February 2, 2015, Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. issued a press release titled, “Esperion Therapeutics Announces Removal of PPAR Partial Clinical Hold for ETC-1002” (the “Press Release”). A copy of the Press Release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release dated February 2, 2015.

 

*      *       *

 

2



 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: February 2, 2015

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Tim M. Mayleben

 

 

Tim M. Mayleben

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

3



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release dated February 2, 2015.

 

4


Exhibit 99.1

 

Media Contact:

Elliot Fox

W2O Group

212.257.6724

efox@w2ogroup.com

 

Investor Contact:

Mindy Lowe

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

734.887.3903

mlowe@esperion.com

 

Esperion Therapeutics Announces Removal of PPAR Partial Clinical Hold for ETC-1002

 

Conference Call and Webcast on Monday, February 2, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

 

Ann Arbor, Mich., — (February 2, 2015) — Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPR), an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing first-in-class, oral, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) lowering therapies for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and other cardio-metabolic risk markers, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) partial clinical hold on ETC-1002. The action by the FDA will now allow Esperion to conduct clinical trials exceeding six months in duration.

 

“We are pleased to receive a positive and rapid response from the FDA following our submission in early January of a complete response to the PPAR partial clinical hold,” said Tim M. Mayleben, president and chief executive officer of Esperion. “The removal of the PPAR partial clinical hold is an important milestone on the path toward initiation of our Phase 3 clinical program for ETC-1002 later this year.”

 

Conference Call and Webcast Details

 

The Esperion management team will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The live event will be accessible on the investor relations section of the Esperion website at www.esperion.com, or by calling (877) 831-3840 (domestic) or (253) 237-1184 (international). The access code is 78973905. A replay of the event will be available approximately one hour after completion and will be archived on the Company’s website for approximately 90 days following the event.

 

Esperion’s Commitment to Cardiometabolic Disease

 

Esperion is committed to improving the lives of patients with cardiometabolic diseases. The Esperion team leverages its understanding of, and experience with, key biological pathways to discover and develop innovative therapies for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia who have uncontrolled cholesterol levels despite the use of currently available therapies. Esperion has assembled a portfolio of programs including one product candidate in late-stage clinical evaluation (ETC-1002) and two pre-clinical product candidates.

 

About Esperion Therapeutics

 

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. is an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing first-in-class, oral, LDL-cholesterol-lowering therapies for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia and other cardiometabolic risk markers. ETC-1002, Esperion’s lead product candidate, is a unique, first-in-class, orally available, once-daily small molecule designed to lower LDL-cholesterol levels and avoid the side effects associated with therapies currently available for lowering LDL-cholesterol. ETC-1002 is being developed primarily for patients with hypercholesterolemia and a history of statin intolerance. For more information, please visit www.esperion.com and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/EsperionInc.

 



 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the therapeutic potential of, and clinical development plan for, ETC-1002. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Esperion’s actual results to differ significantly from those projected, including, without limitation, the risk that positive results from a clinical study of ETC-1002 may not necessarily be predictive of the results of future clinical studies, particularly in different or larger patient populations, or the risk that other unanticipated developments could interfere with the development (and commercialization) of ETC-1002, as well as other risks detailed in Esperion’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Esperion disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.