Emmaus Life Sciences Announces a New Adherence Program for Its Sickle Cell Disease Patients

Implementing the Program in Collaboration with US Bioservices, an AmerisourceBergen Specialty Pharmacy, Will Drive Increased Compliance with Clinicians Recommended Treatment Programs and Provides an Unprecedented Resource for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: EMMA), a leader in sickle cell disease treatment, is pleased to announce a new adherence program available to sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in collaboration with US Bioservices, an AmerisourceBergen specialty pharmacy company. Commencing January 6, 2020, US Bioservices and Emmaus Life Sciences will implement a patient opt-in enhanced nursing program. This innovative program is designed to further empower SCD patients through real-time product assistance and information from a team of clinicians. As part of the program, patients will be able to receive calls relating to their specific SCD therapy and work with a team of clinicians thereby further assisting patients with symptom and adherence management.

Dr. Yutaka Niihara, M.D., M.P.H., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emmaus commented, “We believe this is an industry first for the SCD community and a truly unique tool and capability that will allow patients to stay informed about their disease as well as expand and improve their choices of medical management, resulting in improved adherence and outcomes. This valuable program is another important part of our commitment to provide SCD patients with the full continuum of care.”

“Emmaus has always prioritized the needs and concerns of SCD patients and understands the importance of programs designed to continually improve the patient experience, assistance and relevant information,” added George Sekulich, Senior Vice President of Global Commercialization. Mr. Sekulich elaborated further, “Providing patients with unencumbered access to our SCD drug Endari^® and resources to enhance their treatment experience has always been a core mission of Emmaus since our founding.”

About Emmaus Life Sciences
Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, marketing and sale of innovative treatments and therapies, including those in the rare and orphan disease categories.  For more information, please visit www.emmauslifesciences.com.

About Endari^® (L-glutamine oral powder)
Indication - Endari is indicated to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients five years of age and older.

Important Safety Information - The most common adverse reactions (incidence >10 percent) in clinical studies were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremities, back pain, and chest pain.

Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation included one case each of hypersplenism, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, burning sensation, and hot flash.

The safety and efficacy of Endari in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease younger than five years of age has not been established.

For more information, please see full Prescribing Information of Endari at: www.ENDARIrx.com/PI.

About Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of an altered form of hemoglobin which polymerizes and becomes fibrous, causing red blood cells to become rigid and change form so that they appear sickle shaped instead of soft and rounded.  Patients with sickle cell disease suffer from debilitating episodes of sickle cell crises, which occur when the rigid, adhesive and inflexible red blood cells occlude blood vessels.  Sickle cell crises cause excruciating pain as a result of insufficient oxygen being delivered to tissue, referred to as tissue ischemia, and inflammation.  These events may lead to organ damage, stroke, pulmonary complications, skin ulceration, infection and a variety of other adverse outcomes.  Sickle cell disease is a significant unmet medical need, affecting approximately one hundred thousand patients in the U.S. and millions worldwide, the majority of which are of African descent.   An estimated 1-in-365 African American children are born with sickle cell disease.

Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding the potential benefits of its new patient out-reach program. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time, including risks and uncertainties inherent in the implementation of the program, risks and uncertainties related to the company’s working capital and ability to carry on its existing operations and obtain needed financing and other factors previously disclosed in the company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and actual results may differ materially.  Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company assumes no duty to update them. 

Released January 6, 2020