SAN MATEO, Calif. and SINGAPORE, March 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ASLN), a clinical-stage, immunology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments to transform the lives of patients, today announced that it will be hosting a virtual research and development day on Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 10:00 am – 11:30 am ET.

The event will feature Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Brett King, MD PhD (Yale University School of Medicine) who will discuss the unmet medical need and current limited treatments for patients suffering from alopecia areata (AA), a common autoimmune disease characterized by loss of immune privilege (IP) in the hair follicle, and is driven by the activation and proliferation of interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-secreting immune cells which mediate the attack of hair follicles, resulting in complete or partial hair loss on the scalp and body.

ASLAN's leadership team including Carl Firth PhD (CEO), Stephen Doyle (Chief Business Officer), Alex Kaoukhov MD (Chief Medical Officer) and other members of the senior R&D management team will then provide an update on its recently announced clinical program to investigate farudodstat, a novel, oral inhibitor of the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial, as a potential first-in-class treatment for AA. Farudodstat has been shown to inhibit IFN-γ secretion, reduce immune cell proliferation, and potentially protect hair follicles from IP collapse in a human AA disease model. ASLAN plans to initiate a proof-of-concept study of farudodstat in AA in the second quarter of 2023.

A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentations. To register for the event, please click here. A replay of the event and presentation materials will be available on the Investor Relations section of ASLAN's website.

Brett King, MD PhD, is Associate Professor of Dermatology at Yale University, specializing in inflammatory skin diseases. He has pioneered the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in dermatology, in particular for alopecia areata, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, granuloma annulare, sarcoidosis, erosive lichen planus, and other disorders.

About farudodstat

Farudodstat is a potent, oral DHODH inhibitor that suppresses immune cell proliferation and IFN-γ secretion by blocking de novo production of pyrimidines required for DNA replication. Compared to first-generation DHODH inhibitors, farudodstat has been shown to be approximately 30 times more potent in its inhibition of DHODH and limiting T cell activity and has a well-tolerated safety profile. ASLAN has generated data showing that farudodstat can protect against the loss of immune privilege in hair follicles, supporting its potential as a first-in-class, safe and effective treatment option for alopecia areata (AA).

About ASLAN Pharmaceuticals

ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ASLN) is a clinical-stage, immunology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments to transform the lives of patients. ASLAN is currently evaluating eblasakimab, a potential first-in-class antibody targeting the IL-13 receptor, in the global Phase 2b TREK-AD trial in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) patients and the Phase 2 TREK-DX trial in dupilumab-experienced AD patients. ASLAN is also developing farudodstat, a potent oral inhibitor of the enzyme DHODH, in alopecia areata and plans to initiate a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial in the second quarter of 2023. ASLAN has a team in California and in Singapore. For additional information please visit  or follow ASLAN on LinkedIn.

Forward looking statements

This release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the management of ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Limited and/or its affiliates (the "Company"). These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, the timing, terms and completion of the proposed private placement; the expected gross proceeds from the proposed private placement and any additional proceeds that may be received by the Company upon exercise, if any, of the warrants issued in the private placement; statements regarding the Company's business strategy and clinical development plans; the Company's plans to develop and commercialize eblasakimab and farudodstat; the safety and efficacy of eblasakimab and farudodstat; the Company's plans and expected timing with respect to clinical trials, clinical trial enrolment and clinical trial results for eblasakimab and farudodstat; the potential of eblasakimab as a first-in-class treatment for atopic dermatitis and of farudodstat as a treatment for autoimmune disease; and the Company's cash runway. The Company's estimates, projections and other forward-looking statements are based on management's current assumptions and expectations of future events and trends, which affect or may affect the Company's business, strategy, operations, or financial performance, and inherently involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of many risks and uncertainties, which include, unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical studies; clinical site activation rates or clinical trial enrolment rates that are lower than expected; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia on the Company's business and the global economy; general market conditions; changes in the competitive landscape; and the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund its strategic and clinical development plans. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements are described in the Company's SEC filings and reports (Commission File No. 001- 38475), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 25, 2022. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "might," "could," "will," "aim," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "plan," or the negative of those terms, and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes are intended to identify estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements. Estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made, and, except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or review any estimate, projection, or forward-looking statement.

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