Portola Pharmaceuticals' investigational antiplatelet drug elinogrel featured at the ESC Congress 2009

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced two oral presentations at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2009 in Barcelona, Spain, that will feature its investigational antiplatelet drug elinogrel, a P2Y12 ADP receptor antagonist that is currently in Phase II clinical development with Novartis, Portola's development and commercialization partner.

Oral presentation details are as follows:

Title: First in Patient Experience with a New, Direct Acting, Reversible P2Y12 Inhibitor, Elinogrel (PRT060128): Evaluation in Patients with High Platelet Reactivity During Clopidogrel Therapy (Program #2678)

Presenter: Paul A. Gurbel, M.D., Director, Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research, Baltimore, Md.

Date: Monday, August 31, 4:45-5:00 p.m.

Location: Sofia Room, Zone 1

Title: The Clopidogrel-Insensitive Pool of P2Y12 Receptors Exposed Upon Platelet Activation Contributes to Thrombus Formation and Can Be Blocked by Elinogrel, a Direct Acting, Reversible P2Y12 Inhibitor (Program #5115)

Presenter: Helena Haberstock-Debic of Portola

Date: Wednesday, September 2, 11:15-11:30 a.m.

Location: Stockholm Room, Zone 4

About Elinogrel

Elinogrel is the only direct acting, reversible, i.v. and oral P2Y12 ADP receptor antagonist in clinical development. Inhibiting the P2Y12 ADP receptor on platelets has been proven to prevent thrombosis and subsequent heart attacks. Because of its properties, elinogrel has the potential to provide significant clinical advantages compared to Plavix(R)* (clopidogrel), the current standard of care; newer agents, such as prasugrel; and those in development, by lowering the risk of ischemic events due to clot formation and reducing the risk of bleeding. In addition, elinogrel is the only compound in development that can be administered intravenously in the hospital and orally in the chronic setting.