Marinus Pharmaceuticals Names Dr. Rolando Gutíerrez-Esteinou as VP of Clinical Development and Pharmacovigilance

October 10, 2018

RADNOR, Pa., Oct. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:MRNS), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders, announced the appointment of Rolando Gutíerrez-Esteinou, M.D., as Vice President of Clinical Development and Pharmacovigilance where he will primarily be responsible for the medical leadership of our postpartum depression (PPD) programs and drug safety.

“Dr. Gutíerrez-Esteinou is a welcome addition to the management team at Marinus,” said Christopher Cashman, Chairman and CEO of Marinus Pharmaceuticals. “His decades of experience in the clinical development of neuropsychiatric and central nervous system (CNS) therapies will be invaluable as Marinus completes its Phase 2 trials in PPD and develops its later-stage development strategy in depression.”

Dr. Gutíerrez-Esteinou was previously Executive Director and Global Clinical Leader, Psychiatry, at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Vice President and Global Therapeutic Area Head at Covance Clinical Development Services. He has also held positions at Prostrakan, Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Novartis Pharmaceuticals; and the Janssen Research Foundation. He holds an M.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico Medical School, Mexico City, and was a resident and research fellow at Harvard Medical School.

“I feel fortunate to join Marinus at this exciting and busy time,” said Dr. Rolando Gutíerrez-Esteinou. “Ganaxolone represents true innovation in a field that had only seen variations of the same anti-depressant mechanisms of action for 20 years. With its novel mechanism of action and convenient dose forms, ganaxolone has the potential to provide benefits to these patients.”

Ganaxolone is designed to provide anti-seizure activity by calming the brain and restoring its electrical balance. Ganaxolone’s method of action is different from existing epilepsy and anti-depressant medications, binding to unique GABAA receptors. In clinical trials to date, ganaxolone has shown to be safe and well-tolerated, and effective in reducing seizures and anxiety in various patient populations.  Its functional similarity to reproductive hormones also suggests it may help correct the hormonal imbalance seen in women suffering from postpartum depression.

About Marinus Pharmaceuticals
Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of ganaxolone, which offers a new mechanism of action, demonstrated efficacy and safety, and convenient dosing to improve the lives of patients suffering from epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders. Ganaxolone is a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA that acts on a well-characterized target in the brain known to have anti-seizure, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects. Ganaxolone is being developed in three different dose forms (IV, capsule and liquid) intended to maximize therapeutic reach to adult and pediatric patient populations in both acute and chronic care settings.  Marinus has initiated the first ever pivotal study in children with CDKL5 deficiency disorder, a rare form of epilepsy, and is currently conducting studies in patients with postpartum depression and refractory status epilepticus. For more information visit www.marinuspharma.com. Please follow us on Twitter: @MarinusPharma.

Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Marinus, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “believe”, and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Examples of forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, among others, statements regarding our interpretation of preclinical studies, development plans for our product candidate, including the development of dose forms, the clinical trial testing schedule and milestones, the ability to complete enrollment in our clinical trials, interpretation of scientific basis for ganaxolone use, timing for availability and release of data, the safety, potential efficacy and therapeutic potential of our product candidate and our expectation regarding the sufficiency of our working capital. Forward-looking statements in this release involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the conduct of future clinical trials, the timing of the clinical trials, enrollment in clinical trials, availability of data from ongoing clinical trials, expectations for regulatory approvals, the attainment of clinical trial results that will be supportive of regulatory approvals, and other matters, including the development of formulations of ganaxolone, and the availability or potential availability of alternative products or treatments for conditions targeted by the Company that could affect the availability or commercial potential of our drug candidates. Marinus undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the Company in general, see filings Marinus has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CONTACT:
Lisa M. Caperelli
Executive Director, Investor & Strategic Relations
Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
484-801-4674
lcaperelli@marinuspharma.com

Source: Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.