MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tenax Therapeutics (Formerly Known As Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc.) (Nasdaq: TENX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing products that address cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need, announced that it will hold a KOL webinar on Levosimendan for pulmonary hypertension with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF). The webinar will be held on August 16, 2021 at 10:00am Eastern Time.

The webinar will feature a presentation by Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Daniel Burkhoff, M.D., Ph.D. (Cardiovascular Research Foundation) who will discuss the current treatment landscape and unmet medical need in treating patients with pulmonary hypertension with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF) and how Levosimendan could become an important new treatment option for this patient population. Dr. Burkhoff will be available to answer questions following the formal presentations.

Tenax’s Chief Medical Officer, cardiologist Stuart Rich, M.D., will then discuss the clinical development plan for their novel therapy Levosimendan, a first-in-class K-ATP activator/ calcium sensitizer, as the first treatment for PH-HFpEF (WHO Group 2 Pulmonary Hypertension).

A live Q&A session will follow the formal presentations.

You are required to register in advance for the webcast.

Daniel Burkhoff, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Burkhoff obtained Doctor of Philosophy and Medical degrees from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in Cardiology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Burkhoff then moved to Columbia University in the City of New York where he established and ran the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory through 2003 and then took the position of Director of the Jack Skirball Center for Cardiovascular Research of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) through 2005. His focus shifted to development and research of medical devices in his capacity as Medical Director of several startup companies involved in diagnostics and therapies for heart failure. Dr. Burkhoff then returned to CRF as Director of Heart Failure, Hemodynamics and Mechanical Circulatory Support Research. In this capacity, he also directs CRF’s educational program called “TEACH” (Training and Education in Advanced Cardiovascular Hemodynamics). Dr. Burkhoff’s interests include cardiovascular modeling and research in basic and clinical aspects of ventricular mechanics, cardiovascular monitoring, heart failure, device and pharmacologic treatments for heart failure, including left ventricular assist devices. He is also the author of Harvi, an interactive simulation-based application available on the world wide web for teaching and researching many aspects of ventricular mechanics and hemodynamics.

About Tenax Therapeutics

Tenax Therapeutics, Inc., is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing products that address cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need. The Company has a world-class scientific advisory team including recognized global experts in pulmonary hypertension. The Company owns North American rights to develop and commercialize levosimendan and has recently released detailed results from the Phase 2 HELP Study of levosimendan in Pulmonary Hypertension associated with Heart Failure and preserved Ejection Fraction (PH-HFpEF) at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting. Tenax is also developing a delayed release oral formulation of imatinib, designed to avoid the gastric irritation, into a single pivotal trial pursuant to the 505(b)(2) pathway. For more information, visit www.tenaxthera.com.

About Levosimendan

Levosimendan is a pleiotropic drug that works through a unique triple mechanism of action. It initially was developed as an inotrope for intravenous use in hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated heart failure. It was discovered and developed by Orion Pharma, Orion Corporation of Espoo Finland, and is currently approved in over 60 countries for this indication and not available in the United States. Recently it has been shown to be an effective potassium channel activator which targets mechanisms that underlie pulmonary vascular disease and HFpEF. Tenax Therapeutics acquired North American rights to develop and commercialize levosimendan from Phyxius Pharma, Inc.

About Imatinib

Imatinib is an antiproliferative agent developed to target the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. The inhibitory effects of imatinib on PDGF receptors and c-KIT suggested that it may be efficacious in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Imatinib reversed the pulmonary vascular disease in animal models of pulmonary hypertension by blocking the PDGF pathway, which has also been shown to be activated in the human disease. In a phase 3 clinical trial imatinib produced significant improvements in exercise capacity and hemodynamics, but a high rate of dropouts attributed largely to gastric intolerance prevented regulatory approval.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements by the Company that involve risks and uncertainties and reflect the Company’s judgment as of the date of this release. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to matters beyond the Company’s control that could lead to delays in the clinical study, new product introductions and customer acceptance of these new products; matters beyond the Company’s control that could impact the Company’s continued compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements; the impact of management changes on the Company’s business and unanticipated charges, costs and expenditures not currently contemplated that may occur as a result of management changes; and other risks and uncertainties as described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2021 and its quarterly report of Form 10-Q filed on May 17, 2021, as well as its other filings with the SEC. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this release. Statements in this press release regarding management’s future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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