Optimer to Present Additional Data from OPT-80 Phase 2A Study for Clostridium difficile Infection at Anaerobe 2008 Congress

Business Wire,  June 11, 2008  

Tags: U.S. Congress

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Sherwood L. Gorbach, M.D., Optimer's Chief Medical Officer, to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anaerobe Society of the Americas

SAN DIEGO -- Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTR) today announced further data from its Phase 2A clinical study of OPT-80, a potential treatment for Clostridium difficile infection, or CDI, have been accepted for presentation at the 9th Biennial Congress of the Anaerobe Society of the Americas, to be held in Long Beach, CA, June 25-27, 2008. Pam Sears, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biology at Optimer, will be presenting the additional analyses which describe the strain types and antibiotic susceptibilities of Clostridium difficile isolated from patients in the Phase 2A study. The poster presentation, titled "Typing and Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates from the OPT-80 (PAR-101) Phase 2A Study for C. Difficile-Associated Diarrhea," will be held on Thursday, June 26 at 3:15pm Pacific Time.

In addition, Optimer's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sherwood Gorbach, will be one of two people honored at Anaerobe 2008 with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the study of anaerobic microbiology and larger field of medicine. Dr. Sherwood Gorbach was one of the lead authors of a seminal paper which first identified Clostridium difficile as the cause of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis. He has held distinguished hospital and academic appointments at prominent medical facilities including Chief of Infectious Diseases at the New England Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Gorbach is a renowned authority on infectious diseases and editor of the Clinical Infectious Diseases scientific journal.

About Anaerobe 2008

Anaerobe 2008, the 9th Biennial Congress of the Anaerobe Society of the Americas, takes place June 25-27, 2008 at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, CA. This conference brings together researchers, clinicians, and laboratory scientists from around the world to discuss studies of anaerobic bacteriology by over 445 scientists from 27 countries. Information on Anaerobe 2008 is available at www.anaerobe.org.

About Optimer

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative anti-infective products for the treatment of serious infections. Optimer has two late-stage anti-infective product candidates. OPT-80, currently in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, is being developed for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection, the most common hospital-acquired diarrhea. Prulifloxacin, also in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, is an antibiotic being developed for the treatment of travelers' diarrhea, a form of infectious diarrhea. Additional information regarding Optimer can be found at http://www.optimerpharma.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements, including without limitation all statements related to OPT-80, CDI, or presentations or awards at Anaerobe 2008. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intend," "will," "goal" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Optimer that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in Optimer's business including, without limitation, risks relating to: the timing, progress and likelihood of success of our product research and development programs, the timing and status of our preclinical and clinical development of potential drugs and other risks detailed in Optimer's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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