Preclinical Data for Lubiprostone and Unoprostone Isopropyl to be Presented at Experimental Biology Conference 2014

BETHESDA, Md., April 25, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Sucampo") SCMP, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that preclinical data for lubiprostone and unoprostone isopropyl will be presented at the Experimental Biology Society 2014 Conference in San Diego, California.

The following posters will be presented on the following dates and times in exhibit halls A-D at the San Diego Convention Center:

• Amino Acids Involved in Lubiprostone Activation of Human ClC-2 (Jayati Chakrabarti, PhD, Danuta H. Malinowska, PhD, Kirti P. Tewari, PhD, Ryuji Ueno, MD, PhD, PhD) Poster 896. Transporters: Transmitters, Nutrients, Metabolites, and Drugs Monday April 28, 12:45 PM – 3:00 PM
• Lubiprostone (a prostone) slows the in vitro growth of colon adenosarcoma cells with low (NAD+) 15-OH PGDH (J. Chakrabart, PhDi, J.Cuppoletti, PhD, D.H. Malinowska, PhD, K.P. Tewari, PhD, Ryuji Ueno, MD, PhD, PhD) Poster 19516. Translational Physiology Wednesday April 30, 12:30 PM – 2:15 PM
• Unoprostone protects against cell death, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis in a model retinitis pigmentosa system using expression of wild type and mutant rhodopsin (J. Chakrabarti, PhD, J. Cuppoletti, PhD, D.H. Malinowska, PhD, Ryuji Ueno, MD, PhD, PhD) Poster 19514. Cell and Molecular Physiology, Wednesday April 30^th, 12:30 PM – 2:15 PM

About lubiprostone

Lubiprostone is a member of a class of compounds called prostones that directly activates ClC-2 chloride channels located in the apical membrane of the human intestinal epithelial cells. This activation causes an increase in chloride ions (Cl-) and intestinal fluid secretion into the lumen, thereby promoting the motility of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract contents.

About unopostone isopropyl

Unoprostone isopropyl is a member of Sucampo's family of prostones and is a synthetic docosanoid. It has received orphan drug designation for retinis pigmentosa in Europe by the EMA and in the United States by the FDA.

About Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs based on ion channel activators known as prostones. Discovered by the company's scientific co-founder, Ryuji Ueno, M.D., Ph.D., Ph.D., prostones are naturally occurring fatty acid metabolites with unique physiological activities. Sucampo has two marketed products – AMITIZA and RESCULA® – and a pipeline of prostone-based product candidates in clinical development. A global company, Sucampo is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and has operations in Japan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. For more information, please visit www.sucampo.com.

The Sucampo logo and the tagline, The Science of Innovation, are registered pending trademarks of Sucampo AG.

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Sucampo Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential, future financial and operating results, and other statements that are not historical facts. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation; Sucampo's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Sucampo's patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the U.S. and internationally and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Sucampo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this presentation should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Sucampo's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Sucampo's most recent Form 8-K and 10-K, which Sucampo incorporates by reference.