Antares Pharma, Inc. Announces First Patients Enrolled In QuickShot Testosterone Supplemental Safety Study

EWING, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Antares Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATRS) today announced that the first patients have been enrolled in a double-blind, multiple-dose, 26-week safety and pharmacokinetic study of QuickShot^® Testosterone (QS T) administered subcutaneously once each week to adult males with hypogonadism. The study will include a screening phase, a treatment titration phase and a treatment phase for evaluation of safety and tolerability assessments, including laboratory assessments, adverse events and injection site assessments.

“We remain very excited about the potential for this product given the previously disclosed positive pharmacokinetic data. Our goal is to provide a unique, at-home treatment for men with testosterone deficiency that is designed to provide steady maintenance of testosterone levels through once-weekly, convenient, subcutaneous self-administration.“”

“The Company has been working closely with the Food and Drug Administration and we believe that the protocol for the QuickShot testosterone supplemental phase three safety study is appropriately structured to support the filing of a new drug application, or NDA,” stated Eamonn P. Hobbs, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We remain very excited about the potential for this product given the previously disclosed positive pharmacokinetic data. Our goal is to provide a unique, at-home treatment for men with testosterone deficiency that is designed to provide steady maintenance of testosterone levels through once-weekly, convenient, subcutaneous self-administration.“

Approximately 70 patients will be needed to complete collection of 26 weeks of safety data. Patients meeting all eligibility criteria will be assigned to receive 75 mg of QS T once weekly for six weeks. Adjustments to dose may be made at week seven based upon the week six C_trough value. QS T will be provided to clinical sites at dosage strengths of 100 mg, 75 mg and 50 mg to be utilized in dose titration.

About Antares Pharma

Antares Pharma focuses on self-administered parenteral pharmaceutical products. The Company’s product, OTREXUP™ (methotrexate) injection for subcutaneous use, is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adults with severe active rheumatoid arthritis, children with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adults with severe recalcitrant psoriasis. Antares Pharma is also developing QuickShot^® Testosterone for testosterone replacement therapy, and VIBEX^® Sumatriptan for the acute treatment of migraines. The Company’s technology platforms include VIBEX^® disposable auto injectors, disposable multi-use pen injectors and reusable needle-free injectors. Antares Pharma has a multi-product deal with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. that includes VIBEX^® epinephrine, exenatide multi-dose pen, and another undisclosed multi-dose pen. Our reusable needle-free injector for use with human growth hormone (hGH) is sold worldwide by Ferring B.V.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements made with respect to the growth of the Company from a company solely dependent on licensing and development revenues to a specialty pharmaceutical company commercializing its own products; the timing and results of the supplemental phase 3 safety study for QuickShot^® Testosterone (QS T); acceptance of the data from the supplemental phase 3 safety study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); FDA actions with respect to QS T including modified or additional clinical trials; the Company’s ability to successfully complete a New Drug Application for QS T and acceptance by the FDA of the same; FDA approval of QS T; the growth of sales of OTREXUP™; the approval by the FDA of VIBEX^® Epinephrine Pen, the timing thereof and the therapeutic equivalence rating therefor; FDA action with respect to the ANDA filed for the exenatide pen; the Company’s ability to adequately and timely respond to the complete response letter with respect to its ANDA for VIBEX^® Sumatriptan and FDA action with respect to the same; the timing and results of research projects, clinical trials and product candidates in development; the Company’s ability to obtain financial and other resources for its research, development, clinical, and commercial activities and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, and involve predictions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, achievements or prospects to be materially different from any future results, performance, achievements or prospects expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as ''may’’, ''will’’, ''should’’, ''would’’, ''expect’’, ''intend’’, ''plan’’, ''anticipate’’, ''believe’’, ''estimate’’, ''predict’’, ''potential’’, ''seem’’, ''seek’’, ''future’’, ''continue’’, or ''appear’’ or the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements is contained in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and in the Company’s other periodic reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release, except as required by law.