AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS (AVNR)

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Avanir Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of Positive Early Results from PRISM II Study

--Interim Results Show NUEDEXTA Provides Meaningful Reduction of PBA Episodes and is Generally Well Tolerated in Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia Population--

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVNR) today announced interim data from the phase IV PRISM II study showing that treatment with NUEDEXTA® substantially reduced symptoms of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in patients with Alzheimer's disease/dementia. PBA is a distressing neurologic condition characterized by sudden and uncontrolled outbursts of laughing and/or crying in patients with neurologic disease and injury. A standard quality of life measure also showed clear improvement over the 3-month treatment period. The data were presented today, Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), being held at the Bela Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"These initial data showing reduced symptoms of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in patients with PBA secondary to Alzheimer's and dementia are consistent with the benefits we saw in the pivotal phase III study, in PBA patients with ALS and MS, and provide further evidence that NUEDEXTA may offer relief from the debilitating episodes of PBA," said Joao Siffert, MD, chief medical officer at Avanir. "PRISM II has now completed enrollment of patients with dementia and continues to enroll patients with stroke and traumatic brain injury, two additional important causes of PBA. We look forward to reporting data from these additional cohorts later this year."

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