MENLO PARK, CA--(Marketwired - September 28, 2015) - Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT), a pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of severe metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders, announced today that Robert S. Fishman, M.D., has joined the company as its Chief Medical Officer.
"I am very happy to welcome Bob to Corcept," said Joseph K. Belanoff, M.D., the company's Chief Executive Officer. "His demonstrated ability to progress product candidates from the clinic to regulatory approval will be invaluable as we develop Korlym® for new indications and advance our next-generation cortisol-modulating compounds."
Dr. Fishman was most recently Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at InterMune, Inc., where he led the pivotal clinical trial of pirfenidone (Esbriet®) for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The Food and Drug Administration approved pirfenidone in October 2014, ahead of its Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date. InterMune has been acquired by Roche Holding AG.
"I am excited to be joining Corcept at such an important time in the development of its cortisol modulation platform," said Dr. Fishman. "Korlym's Phase 1/2 trial as a potential treatment for triple-negative breast cancer will be generating efficacy results and the company's lead next-generation cortisol modulator, CORT125134, is about to enter Phase 2 in a variety of indications, with more next-generation compounds advancing toward the clinic. I look forward to contributing to these important projects."
Dr. Fishman brings to Corcept 19 years of product development experience. Prior to his tenure at InterMune, Dr. Fishman served as Vice President of Clinical Development at Alexza Pharmaceuticals, where he led the development of inhaled loxapine (Adasuve®) for the treatment of agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, leading to its approval by the FDA in 2012 and the European Medicines Agency in 2013. Before that, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Heartport, Aerogen, and Anthera Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Fishman trained in internal medicine at Deaconess Hospital, Boston and completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He earned a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine.
About Korlym®
Korlym (mifepristone) competitively blocks the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), one of the two receptors to which cortisol normally binds, thereby modulating the effects of excess cortisol in patients with Cushing's syndrome. Since 2012, Corcept has made Korlym available as a once-daily oral treatment of hyperglycemia secondary to endogenous Cushing's syndrome in adult patients with glucose intolerance or diabetes mellitus type 2 who have failed surgery or are not candidates for surgery. Korlym was the first FDA-approved treatment for Cushing's syndrome and the FDA has designated it as an Orphan Drug.
About Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer is a form of the disease in which the three receptors that fuel most breast cancer growth -- estrogen, progesterone and the HER-2 -- are not present. Because the tumor cells lack these receptors, treatments that target estrogen, progesterone and HER-2 are ineffective. Approximately 40,000 women are diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer each year. It is estimated that substantially more than half of these women's tumor cells express GR. There is no FDA-approved treatment and neither a targeted treatment nor an approved standard chemotherapy regimen for relapsed triple-negative breast cancer patients exists.
About CORT125134
CORT125134 is one of Corcept's next-generation selective GR antagonists. It is a potent modulator of GR, but has no affinity for the progesterone, estrogen, androgen or mineralocorticoid receptors. The company plans to begin Phase 2 studies of the compound as a treatment for Cushing's syndrome and an oncology indication early in 2016.
About Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
Corcept is a pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of severe metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders. Korlym, a first generation competitive GR antagonist, is the company's first FDA-approved medication. The company is conducting a Phase 1/2 trial of mifepristone for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and is planning Phase 2 studies of CORT125134, one of its next-generation selective GR antagonists, for the treatment of Cushing's syndrome and an oncology indication. The company has developed a proprietary portfolio of other selective GR antagonists that modulate the effects of cortisol, but not progesterone. It owns or has exclusively licensed extensive intellectual property covering the use of GR antagonists, including mifepristone, in the treatment of a wide variety of metabolic, oncologic and psychiatric disorders. It also holds composition of matter patents for its selective GR antagonists.
CONTACT:
Charles Robb
Chief Financial Officer
Corcept Therapeutics
650-688-8783
Email Contact
www.corcept.com