Conatus Pharmaceuticals Appoints Edward F. Smith III as Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance

SAN DIEGO, April 04, 2016 -- Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:CNAT), a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel medicines to treat liver disease, today announced the appointment of Edward F. Smith III, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance.

“We are pleased to welcome Edward to the Conatus senior management team,” said Steven J. Mento, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Conatus. “His substantial experience includes U.S. and European regulatory filings across multiple therapeutic areas and drug/device categories from preclinical development through post-approval label expansion. We believe that Edward’s broad familiarity with the drug development process, strategic understanding of regulatory pathways, and demonstrated proficiency in regulatory agency interactions will be highly relevant as we advance toward the initial opportunity for approval of emricasan in cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).”

Dr. Smith has been Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Drug Safety at Zogenix, Inc., since October 2008, which he joined as Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs in April 2007. Before joining Zogenix, he served as Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs at Connetics Corp. from 2006 to 2007; Director, Regulatory Affairs at Nektar Therapeutics from 2004 to 2006; Director, Corporate Regulatory Affairs at Valeant Pharmaceuticals from 2001 to 2004; and Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Research & Development at Radiance Medical Systems, Inc., from 1999 to 2001. He previously held research and development positions at Mallinckrodt Inc. from 1992 to 1999, at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals from 1986 to 1992, and at Ciba-Geigy from 1984 to 1985. Dr. Smith held postdoctoral fellowships at the Institute of Pharmacology at the University of Koln in Germany, and the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Smith received a B.S. in biology from Montana State University, a Ph.D. in physiology from Thomas Jefferson University, and an M.B.A. from Washington University. He also holds a Regulatory Affairs Certification.

About Conatus Pharmaceuticals
Conatus is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel medicines to treat liver disease. Conatus is developing its lead compound, emricasan, for the treatment of patients with chronic liver disease. Emricasan is a first-in-class, orally active pan-caspase protease inhibitor designed to reduce the activity of enzymes that mediate inflammation and apoptosis. Conatus believes that by reducing the activity of these enzymes, emricasan has the potential to interrupt the disease progression across the spectrum of liver disease. For additional information, please visit www.conatuspharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding continued progress toward the initial registration of emricasan and emricasan’s potential to interrupt the disease progression across the spectrum of liver disease. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those risks described in the company’s prior press releases and in the periodic reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The events and circumstances reflected in the company’s forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, the company does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

MEDIA:  David Schull
Russo Partners, LLC
(858) 717-2310
[email protected] 

INVESTORS:  Alan Engbring
Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(858) 376-2637
[email protected]