Vital Therapies Prices Initial Public Offering

SAN DIEGO, CA-- Vital Therapies, Inc. (NASDAQVTL), a biotherapeutic company developing a cell-based therapy targeting the treatment of acute liver failure, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 4,500,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $12.00 per share. The shares will begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on April 17, 2014 under the ticker symbol "VTL." Vital Therapies has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 675,000 shares of common stock.

BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Canaccord Genuity Inc. are acting as co-managers.

A registration statement relating to this offering was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 16, 2014. This offering is being made solely by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from: BofA Merrill Lynch, 222 Broadway, New York, NY 10038, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: [email protected], or Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, Telephone: (800) 221-1037, Email: [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Vital Therapies, Inc.

Vital Therapies, Inc. is a biotherapeutic company developing a cell-based therapy targeting the treatment of acute liver failure. The company's lead product-candidate, ELAD, is an extracorporeal bio-artificial liver currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. Vital Therapies, Inc. is based in San Diego, California. Vital Therapies® and ELAD® are trademarks of Vital Therapies, Inc.

Vital Therapies, Inc. Contact:
Terry Winters, Ph.D.
Co-Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Duane Nash, M.D.
Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer
Tel: (858) 673-6840