LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KYTH) today announced that the company has been added to each of the broad-market Russell 3000® Index, the Russell 2000® Index, the Russell Microcap® Index and the Russell Global® Index as part of Russell's quarterly IPO additions effective as of the close of trading on December 21, 2012.

"We're extremely pleased to be included in these widely known Russell indexes,” said Keith Leonard, KYTHERA's President and CEO. “We are committed to building long-term value for our stockholders and we value the significance and increased visibility within the investment community that can result from inclusion in these indexes.”

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. An industry-leading $3.9 trillion in institutional assets currently are benchmarked to them.

The annual reconstitution of Russell's U.S. indexes captures the 4,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization. Membership in the Russell 3000 Index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in either the large-cap Russell 1000® Index or small-cap Russell 2000 Index, as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes. Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes. The Russell 3000 Index also serves as the U.S. component of the Russell Global® Index. More information about Russell Indexes is available at www.russell.com/indexes.

About KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel prescription products for the aesthetic medicine market. KYTHERA's product candidate, ATX-101, is a potential first-in-class, injectable treatment currently in Phase III clinical development for the reduction of submental fat, which commonly presents as an undesirable “double chin.” KYTHERA also maintains an active research interest in hair and fat biology, pigmentation modulation and facial contouring. Find more information at http://www.kytherabiopharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding KYTHERA, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the increased visibility within the investment community that can result from inclusion in the indexes. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risks included under the heading “Risks Related to Our Common Stock” included in the Risk Factor sections of KYTHERA's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012. KYTHERA undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.