Capricor Therapeutics to Host a Key Opinion Leader Call On Why Exosomes are Uniquely Suited for Vaccine Development

Exosomes Platform Technology Expanded to Potentially Combat the Novel Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES, March 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capricor Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CAPR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of first-in-class biological therapeutics for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and other rare disorders, today announced that it will host a Key Opinion Leader (KOL) call on why exosomes are uniquely suited for vaccine development on Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 12pm Eastern Time.

The call will feature a presentation by KOL and newly appointed Capricor Executive Consultant Stephen J. Gould, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University, who will provide an overview of an exosome-based vaccine approach. Additionally, he will discuss the strategic plan to further develop the company's exosome platform technologies including its potential application as a COVID-19 vaccine. Capricor is committed to developing precision-engineered exosomes that carry defined sets of effector molecules which exert their effects through defined mechanisms of action.

About Stephen J. Gould, Ph.D.

Stephen J. Gould, Ph.D. is a Professor of Biological Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University where he directs a research laboratory dedicated to understanding the biology of exosomes, especially in the context of human disease, while also serving as Director of Johns Hopkins University’s Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry. Dr. Gould is co-Founder and acting President of the American Society for Exosomes and Microvesicles (ASEMV), Chief Scientific Officer of TAVEC Pharma, and consultant to numerous biotech and pharma companies. Dr. Gould’s team was the first to reveal the mechanistic link between exosome biogenesis and virus budding, the first to identify mechanisms of exosome engineering, and the first to develop an exosome-based cancer therapeutic. Dr. Gould has published numerous research articles, invited reviews, and several book chapters, received numerous public and private research grants, organized numerous scientific conferences, and served on an array of NIH and other grant review panels.

About Capricor Therapeutics

Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAPR) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class biological therapeutics for the treatment of rare disorders. Capricor’s lead candidate, CAP-1002, is an allogeneic cell therapy that is currently in clinical development for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Capricor has also established itself as one of the companies investigating the field of extracellular vesicles and is exploring the potential of exosome-based candidates to treat a variety of disorders. For more information, visit www.capricor.com.

Keep up with Capricor on social media: www.facebook.com/capricortherapeutics, www.instagram.com/capricortherapeutics/ and https://twitter.com/capricor

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding the efficacy, safety, and intended utilization of Capricor's product candidates; the initiation, conduct, size, timing and results of discovery efforts and clinical trials; the pace of enrollment of clinical trials; plans regarding regulatory filings, future research and clinical trials; regulatory developments involving products, including the ability to obtain regulatory approvals or otherwise bring products to market; plans regarding current and future collaborative activities and the ownership of commercial rights; scope, duration, validity and enforceability of intellectual property rights; future royalty streams, revenue projections; expectations with respect to the expected use of proceeds from the recently completed offerings and the anticipated effects of the offerings, and any other statements about Capricor's management team's future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "could," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. More information about these and other risks that may impact Capricor's business is set forth in Capricor's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2019, and as amended by its Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2019, in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2019, and in its Registration Statement on Form S-1 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 5, 2019 and the prospectus contained therein, together with any amendments and supplements thereto. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Capricor as of the date hereof, and Capricor assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CAP-1002 is an Investigational New Drug and is not approved for any indications. None of Capricor’s exosome-based candidates have been approved for clinical investigation.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contact:
Joyce Allaire - Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com
(617) 435-6602

Company Contact:
AJ Bergmann, Chief Financial Officer 
+1-310-358-3200
abergmann@capricor.com

Released March 24, 2020