Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG / Santhera Presents Clinical Data of Catena® in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the 2011 Congress of the World Muscle Society . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Liestal, Switzerland, October 19, 2011 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announced today that it will present data from the 2-year open-label study (DELPHI-E study) evaluating Catena® for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy [1], one of the most common and devastating types of muscular dystrophy. The findings indicate that Catena® slowed the decline in respiratory function compared to the expected natural history in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Data from this study are in agreement with and confirm data from a randomized controlled study (DELPHI study) of 12 months duration [2]. The poster presentation will be given at the 16th International Congress of the World Muscle Society in Almancil, Portugal on October 21, 2011.

References

[1] Buyse G.M., Goemans N., van den Hauwe M., Thijs D., Wei Hui, Rummey C., Meier T., Mertens L.: Results from a two-year open label intervention study with idebenone (Catena®) in patients with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. Poster presentation at the 16th International Congress of the World Muscle Society in Almancil, Portugal, from October 18 to 22, 2011.

[2] Buyse G.M., Goemans N., van den Hauwe M., Thijs D., de Groot  I.J.M., Schara U., Ceulemans B., Meier T., Mertens M.: Idebenone as a novel, therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Results from a 12 month, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Neuromuscular Disorders 2011; 21:396-405.

About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common and a devastating type of muscular degeneration and results in rapidly progressive muscle weakness. It is a genetic, degenerative disease that is inherited in an X-linked recessive mode. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy affects approximately 30,000 patients in the USA, EU, and Japan and its incidence is approximately 1 in 3,500 live born males worldwide. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is characterized by a loss of the protein dystrophin, leading to progressive muscle weakness and wasting through a complex cascade that involves impaired calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. The average age of onset is between 3 and 5 years of age with a loss of ambulation in teenage patients. Dilated cardiomyopathy and respiratory failure are commonly associated with this chronic disease leading to early morbidity and mortality in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients.

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About Santhera

Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of severe neuromuscular diseases, an area of high unmet medical need which includes many orphan indications with no current therapy. Santhera's first product, Catena®, to treat Friedreich's Ataxia is marketed in Canada. Catena® is currently under review for marketing authorization by the European Medicine Agency as the first therapy for patients suffering from Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com.

Catena® is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals.

For further information, contact
Thomas Meier, Chief Executive Officer
Phone: +41 (0)61 906 89 64
thomas.meier@santhera.com

Thomas Staffelbach, Head Public & Investor Relations
Phone: +41 (0)61 906 89 47
thomas.staffelbach@santhera.com

Disclaimer/Forward-looking statements
This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any secu­rities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, un­certainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 



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Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG
Hammerstrasse 49 Liestal Switzerland

ISIN: CH0027148649;


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