Patient enrollment in three late-stage clinical trials completed

Nov 5 2009

Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISPH) announced today patient enrollment is complete in three of its late-stage clinical trials.

“We are pleased to be executing on our strategic plan with the achievement of these patient enrollment milestones in the clinical development programs for denufosol, PROLACRIA™ and AZASITE^®, as this places us in a position to have top-line results from all our late-stage clinical programs within 18 months. We would like to thank the dedicated clinical investigators, study coordinators and patients who participated in our trials as well as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its affiliates for raising awareness of the importance of participating in clinical trials,” stated Benjamin R. Yerxa, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief, Research and Development.

Denufosol Tetrasodium for Cystic Fibrosis

Inspire announced today that TIGER-2, the Company’s second Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial (Trial 08-110) with denufosol tetrasodium inhalation solution for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), has completed patient enrollment. TIGER-2 is a 48-week trial comparing 60 mg of denufosol to placebo, administered three-times daily by jet nebulizer, in a targeted 450 CF patients. The Company expects to have top-line results from TIGER-2 in the first quarter of 2011.

“We are excited that patient enrollment in TIGER-2 is complete. This is an important step toward bringing this potential new treatment to cystic fibrosis patients,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Denufosol’s novel approach to treating the underlying ion channel defect in CF lung disease makes it a promising therapy, and we look forward to the results from this trial.”

PROLACRIA™ for Dry Eye

Inspire also announced today that patient enrollment is complete in its Phase 3 clinical trial (Trial 03-113) with PROLACRIA, the proposed U.S. tradename for diquafosol tetrasodium ophthalmic solution 2%, for the treatment of dry eye disease. This is a six-week trial comparing PROLACRIA to placebo, administered four-times daily as eye drops, in a targeted 450 dry eye patients. The trial is based on a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company expects to have top-line results from this trial in the first quarter of 2010.

Gary N. Foulks, M.D., F.A.C.S., Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Director of Corneal/External Disease at Kentucky Lions Eye Center, University of Louisville, and principal investigator of Trial 03-113, stated, “There is a significant need for new therapeutic treatments for dry eye disease. With its novel mechanism of action of stimulating the production of natural tear components, PROLACRIA could be of significant benefit to patients suffering from dry eye.”

AZASITE^® for Blepharitis

The AZASITE (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1% for blepharitis Phase 2 program is targeted to enroll approximately 600 patients in two trials. One trial (Trial 044-101) includes a two-week treatment period with a two-week follow-up period and the other trial (Trial 044-102) includes a four-week treatment period with a four-week follow-up period. Inspire announced today that enrollment is complete in the four-week trial and enrollment in the two-week trial is progressing well with 250 out of a targeted 300 patients enrolled. The Company expects to have enrollment completed in the two-week trial in the first quarter of 2010.