Nektar Reports on Advancements with Clinical Pipeline and Introduces New Preclinical Candidates at Investor and Analyst R&D Day

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) will present an overview of the company's proprietary drug candidate pipeline during the company's R&D Day for investors and analysts today from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET in New York City.

Pain management specialists will present data from two Phase 2 studies of NKTR-181, the company's novel mu-opioid analgesic molecule.  New topline clinical data will be presented from an ongoing investigator-sponsored Phase 2 study of Nektar's proprietary cancer drug candidate, NKTR-102, in patients with Avastin-resistant high-grade glioma.  The company will also present new receptor-based research for NKTR-192, the company's novel analgesic molecule for acute pain, which is currently in Phase 1 development.  Noted clinical experts in the fields of pain and oncology will participate in two separate panel discussions on current treatment practices and share their perspectives on the medical need for new treatment options. 

Also, for the first time, the company will provide details for two new drug candidates including a peripherally-acting kappa agonist for visceral pain, and a dual-receptor agonist/antagonist molecule for neuropathic pain, both of which were created using the company's advanced polymer conjugate discovery platform. In addition, new preclinical data will be discussed for NKTR-214, Nektar's cancer immunotherapy candidate. 

"Nektar has one of the most exciting and robust pipelines in the biotech industry.  In addition to our four partnered programs, which are in or have completed Phase 3 studies, we have a deep proprietary pipeline of novel therapeutic candidates," said Howard W. Robin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nektar Therapeutics. "Today's presentation showcases the innovation and productivity of the Nektar research and development team."

Webcast
The live webcast from will start at 11:30 a.m. ET and can be accessed by visiting the investor relations section of Nektar's website at http://www.nektar.com or by clicking on the following link: http://ir.nektar.com/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=135267. To ensure a timely connection to the webcast, it is recommended that users register 15 minutes prior to the scheduled webcast. This webcast will be archived on Nektar's website for 60 days following the event.

About Nektar
Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics based on its PEGylation and advanced polymer conjugation technology platforms. Nektar has a robust R&D pipeline of potentially high-value therapeutics in oncology, pain and other therapeutic areas. In the area of pain, Nektar has an exclusive worldwide license agreement with AstraZeneca for naloxegol (NKTR-118), an investigational drug candidate, which has completed Phase 3 development as a once- daily, oral tablet for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. For naloxegol, an MAA has been accepted for filing in Europe, and an NDA has been submitted for filing in the U.S.  This agreement also includes NKTR-119, an earlier stage development program that is a co-formulation of naloxegol and an opioid. NKTR-181, a novel mu-opioid analgesic molecule for chronic pain conditions, has completed Phase 2 development in osteoarthritis patients with chronic knee pain. NKTR-192, a novel mu-opioid analgesic molecule in development to treat acute pain is in Phase 1 clinical development. In oncology, etirinotecan pegol (NKTR-102) is being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical study (the BEACON study) for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and is also in a number of Phase 2 studies. In anti-infectives, Amikacin Inhale is in Phase 3 studies conducted by Bayer Healthcare to treat patients with Gram-negative pneumonia.

Nektar's technology has enabled eight approved products in the U.S. or Europe through partnerships with leading biopharmaceutical companies, including UCB's Cimzia^® for Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Roche's PEGASYS^® for hepatitis C and Amgen's Neulasta^® for neutropenia.  Additional development-stage products that leverage Nektar's proprietary technology platform include Baxter's BAX 855, a long-acting PEGylated rFVIII program, which is in Phase 3 clinical development.

Nektar is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional operations in Huntsville, Alabama and Hyderabad, India. Further information about the company and its drug development programs and capabilities may be found online at http://www.nektar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "expect," "believe," "should," "may," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, the value and potential of our technology and research and development pipeline. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others: (i) our drug candidates and those of our collaboration partners are in various stages of clinical development and the risk of failure is high and can unexpectedly occur at any stage prior to regulatory approval for numerous reasons including safety and efficacy findings even after positive findings in previous preclinical and clinical studies; (ii) the timing of the commencement or end of clinical trials and the commercial launch of our drug candidates may be delayed or unsuccessful due to regulatory delays, slower than anticipated patient enrollment, manufacturing challenges, changing standards of care, evolving regulatory requirements, clinical trial design, clinical outcomes, competitive factors, or delay or failure in ultimately obtaining regulatory approval in one or more important markets; (iii) acceptance, review and approval decisions for new drug applications by health authorities is an uncertain and evolving process and health authorities retain significant discretion at all stages of the regulatory review and approval decision process; (iv) scientific discovery of new medical breakthroughs is an inherently uncertain process and the future success of the application of our technology platform to potential new drug candidates is therefore highly uncertain and unpredictable and one or more research and development programs could fail; and (v) certain other important risks and uncertainties set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 9, 2013. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

SOURCE Nektar Therapeutics