Arena and Eisai Announce Upcoming Lorcaserin Presentations at Obesity 2010

SAN DIEGO and WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Oct. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARNA) and Eisai Inc. announced today upcoming lorcaserin presentations at Obesity 2010, the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, in San Diego, California. Lorcaserin, which Arena discovered and developed, is intended for weight management, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, in patients who are obese (Body Mass Index, or BMI, >30) or patients who are overweight (BMI >27) and have at least one weight-related co-morbid condition.

"Obesity 2010 is an excellent scientific forum to present results from our recently completed clinical study evaluating the effects of lorcaserin on appetite, energy intake and energy expenditure," stated William R. Shanahan, M.D., Arena's Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. "We look forward to presenting at this event, and to lorcaserin's October 22nd PDUFA date."

The meeting schedule includes presentations of a lorcaserin mechanism of action study conducted by Drs. Eric Ravussin, Leanne Redman, Corby Martin and Steven Smith at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

• Oral Abstract Presentation: Lorcaserin, a Novel 5-HT2C Receptor Agonist, Causes Weight Loss Without Stimulating Energy Expenditure
• Session Time:  4:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Pacific Time (PT)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

• Poster Presentation: Lorcaserin, a Selective 5-HT2C Receptor Agonist, Reduces Energy Intake and Appetite
• Session Time: The poster will be on display from 9:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. PT and from 3:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PT. Presenters will be available to discuss the poster from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT.

About Lorcaserin

Lorcaserin is a new chemical entity that is believed to act as a selective serotonin 2C receptor agonist. The serotonin 2C receptor is expressed in the brain, including the hypothalamus, an area believed to be involved in the control of appetite and metabolism. Arena has patents that cover lorcaserin in the United States and other jurisdictions, which in most cases are capable of continuing into 2023 without taking into account any patent term extensions or other exclusivity Arena might obtain.

About Arena Pharmaceuticals

Arena is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral drugs that target G protein-coupled receptors, an important class of validated drug targets, in four major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, central nervous system, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Arena's most advanced drug candidate, lorcaserin, is intended for weight management and has completed a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial program. Arena has filed an NDA for lorcaserin with the FDA, and the FDA has assigned a PDUFA date of October 22, 2010, for review of the application. Arena's wholly owned subsidiary, Arena Pharmaceuticals GmbH, has granted Eisai Inc. exclusive rights to market and distribute lorcaserin in the United States.

Arena Pharmaceuticals(R) and Arena(R) are registered service marks of the company.

About Eisai Inc.

Eisai Inc. was established in 1995 and is ranked among the top-20 U.S. pharmaceutical companies (based on retail sales). The company began marketing its first product in the United States in 1997 and has rapidly grown to become a fully integrated pharmaceutical business with fiscal year 2009 (year ended March 31, 2010) sales of approximately $3.9 billion. Eisai's areas of commercial focus include neurology, gastrointestinal disorders and oncology/critical care. The company serves as the U.S. pharmaceutical operation of Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai has a global product creation organization that includes U.S.-based R&D facilities in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania as well as manufacturing facilities in Maryland and North Carolina. The company's areas of R&D focus include neuroscience; oncology; vascular, inflammatory and immunological reaction; and antibody-based programs. For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include statements about the advancement, therapeutic indication and use, safety, efficacy, tolerability, mechanism of action and regulatory review and approval of lorcaserin; how lorcaserin is believed to act; lorcaserin's patent coverage; and Arena's focus, goals, strategy, research and development programs, and ability to develop compounds and commercialize drugs. For such statements, Arena claims the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual events or results may differ materially from Arena's expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk that regulatory authorities may not find data from Arena's clinical trials and other studies sufficient for regulatory approval; the timing of any regulatory review and approval is uncertain; Arena's ability to obtain and defend its patents; risks related to commercializing new products; the timing, success and cost of Arena's research and development programs; results of clinical trials and other studies are subject to different interpretations and may not be predictive of future results; clinical trials and other studies may not proceed at the time or in the manner Arena or others expect or at all; Arena's ability to obtain adequate funds; the timing and receipt of payments and fees, if any, from Eisai and Arena's collaborators; and satisfactory resolution of pending and any future litigation or other disagreements with others. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by Arena's forward-looking statements are disclosed in Arena's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent Arena's judgment as of the time of this release. Arena disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as may be required under applicable law.

SOURCE Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.