Capricor Therapeutics Announces Ticker Symbol Change to CAPR

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: CAPR), a diversified heart failure biotechnology company, today announced that, effective today, the Company’s common stock commences trading on the OTC Markets under the new symbol “CAPR.” The previous trading symbol was “NLTXD.” The ticker symbol change follows the recently completed merger between Capricor, Inc. and Nile Therapeutics, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer Linda Marbán, Ph.D. stated, “Our ticker symbol now represents the name of our combined company Capricor Therapeutics. Together, we are a diversified heart failure biotechnology company with two clinical-stage assets, CDCs and Cenderitide, that is well positioned for success in cardiac cell therapy.”

About Capricor Therapeutics

Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (CAPR), a publicly traded biotechnology company, is focused on the development of novel therapeutics to prevent and treat heart disease. The Company has two leading product candidates: CAP-1002 and Cenderitide. The Company was formed through the November 2013 merger between Capricor, Inc., a privately held company whose mission is to improve the treatment of heart disease by commercializing cardiac stem cell therapies for patients, and Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative products for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. For additional information visit www.capricor.com.

About CAP-1002

CAP-1002, Capricor’s lead product candidate, is a proprietary allogeneic adult stem cell therapy for the treatment of heart disease. The product is derived from donor heart tissue. The cells are expanded in the laboratory using a specialized process and then introduced directly into a patient’s heart via infusion into a coronary artery using standard cardiac catheterization techniques.

CAP-1002 is currently not an approved product and is strictly for investigational purposes.

About Cenderitide

Cenderitide, a novel chimeric natriuretic peptide, is a first-in-class dual guanylyl cyclase receptor activator. Chronic dual receptor activation using a continuous subcutaneous infusion of Cenderitide is being studied to test whether its combination of tissue protective, renal protective and cardiac unloading effects will help stabilize the patient’s heart and kidney function, preventing the worsening of heart failure symptoms and re-admissions to the hospital. Cenderitide is under clinical development to treat heart failure patients during the post-acute heart failure (P-AHF) period, which is the 90-day period immediately after discharge from a hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure. The P-AHF period is often associated with a worsening of heart failure symptoms or renal function and rates of re-admission and mortality can be as high as 40%.

Cenderitide is currently not an approved product and is strictly for investigational purposes.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding the efficacy, safety, and intended utilization of Capricor’s product candidates; the conduct, size, timing and results of discovery efforts and clinical trials; plans regarding regulatory filings, future research and clinical trials; plans regarding current and future collaborative activities and the ownership of commercial rights; future royalty streams, and any other statements about Capricor’s management team’s future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "could," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," "plans," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. More information about these and other risks that may impact our business are set forth in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2013, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2013, and in our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2013. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.
AJ Bergmann, +1-310-358-3200
Investor Relations
abergmann@capricor.com

Source: Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.