Mast Therapeutics Inc (fka MSTX)

[Ecomike]

Time to pump and run this drug... to $3/share and send the shorts to cover school..... Time to buy up everything under $2/share here and stick to shorty

News:

Mast Therapeutics Completes Acquisition Of Aires Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mast Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MSTX) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Aires Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Aires' lead product candidate, AIR001, is an intermittently nebulized formulation of nitrite that has orphan drug designation in the U.S. and European Union for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

"The addition of AIR001 provides us with not only an exciting phase 2 asset in the area of pulmonary disease, but also an ideal complement to our lead product, MST-188," said Brian M. Culley, Chief Executive Officer. "With MST-188 in an ongoing pivotal trial for sickle cell disease and a phase 2 trial expected to initiate this quarter in acute limb ischemia, the addition of another phase 2-ready asset further enhances our pipeline, providing us with diversity across specialized indications as well as cohesion in addressing significant unmet medical needs. In addition, as previously reported, although our estimated costs for AIR001 will change as we refine our development strategy over the next few months, we currently anticipate that our first year of development of AIR001 will be covered by Aires' net cash at closing of $2.6 million."

Under the terms of the all-stock transaction, which was completed on February 27, 2014, Aires became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mast Therapeutics in exchange for a total of 5.2 million shares of Mast common stock, representing approximately 5% of Mast's outstanding common stock. Approximately 80% of the shares comprising the merger consideration are being held back for a period of six months to satisfy any indemnification obligations of the former Aires' stockholders under the merger agreement. There are no milestone obligations payable by Mast.

About AIR001
AIR001 (sodium nitrite) inhalation solution, also known as Aironite®, is an intermittently nebulized formulation of nitrite, which can be converted to nitric oxide independent of nitric oxide synthase activity. Nitrite mediated nitric oxide formation has several beneficial effects, including dilation of blood vessels and reduction of inflammation and undesirable cell growth. AIR001 has been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

About Mast Therapeutics
Mast Therapeutics, Inc. is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Diego, California. The Company is leveraging the MAST (Molecular Adhesion and Sealant Technology) platform, derived from over two decades of clinical, nonclinical and manufacturing experience with purified and non-purified poloxamers, to develop MST-188, its lead product candidate, for serious or life-threatening diseases with significant unmet needs. MST-188 is a cytoprotective, hemorheologic, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic agent that has potential utility in diseases or conditions characterized by microcirculatory insufficiency (endothelial dysfunction and/or impaired blood flow).

The Company is enrolling subjects in EPIC, a pivotal phase 3 study of MST-188 in sickle cell disease. In the first quarter of 2014, the Company plans to initiate a phase 2, clinical proof of concept study in acute limb ischemia that will evaluate whether MST-188 improves the effectiveness of existing thrombolytic agents. The Company is also evaluating development options for MST-188 in heart failure. More information can be found on the Company's web site at www.masttherapeutics.com. (Twitter: @MastThera)

Mast Therapeutics™ and the corporate logo are trademarks of Mast Therapeutics, Inc. Aironite® is a trademark of Aires Pharmaceuticals, Inc.