• Pain experts to discuss latest kappa opioid agonist data and the future of pain management
• Company to present positive data from Phase 2 trial of I.V. CR845 during poster sessions

SHELTON, Conn., March 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (CARA), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pain and pruritus by selectively targeting kappa opioid receptors, today announced that it is sponsoring and participating in a breakfast symposium titled “Old problems, new solutions. What’s next for people in pain?” at the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 31^st Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. Leading experts will discuss the latest developments in pain treatment, including data from Cara’s human abuse liability study of I.V. CR845, the Company’s first-in-class peripherally-selective kappa opioid agonist which has potential to be the first Schedule V or non-scheduled opioid for acute pain.

The symposium details are as follows:

Date: Friday, March 20, 2015
Time: 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. ET
Location: Potomac Ballroom, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, MD
Experts:

• Lynn Webster, MD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at PRA International, immediate past president, American Academy of Pain Medicine
• Jeffrey Gudin, MD, Director of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
• Joseph Stauffer, DO, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Cara Therapeutics

In addition, Cara will present a poster titled “Analgesic Efficacy Of The Peripheral Kappa Opioid Agonist CR845 In Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.” The poster will be on display from Friday, March 20 at 6:00 p.m. through Saturday, March 21 at 10:45 a.m. The Company will present the poster at two sessions:

• Friday, March 20 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Welcome Reception with Exhibits and Author-attended Poster Session
• Saturday, March 21 from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the Break with Exhibits and Author-attended Poster Session

For more information about the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 31^st Annual Meeting, visit: https://www.painmed.org/annualmeeting/.

About CR845

CR845 is a peripherally acting kappa opioid receptor agonist currently in development for the treatment of acute and chronic pain and uremic pruritus. In multiple randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trials in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy or bunionectomy procedures, I.V. CR845 treatment resulted in statistically significant reductions in pain intensity and opioid-related side effects. In over 400 subjects dosed to date, I.V. CR845 was found to be safe and well tolerated, without incurring the dysphoric and psychotomimetic side effects that have been reported with centrally acting (CNS-active) kappa opioid receptor agonists. In a human abuse liability trial, I.V. CR845 met the primary endpoint showing highly statistically significant reductions (p < 0.0001) in scores for “drug liking,” as well as “feeling high,” “overall liking,” and “take drug again” when compared to I.V. pentazocine, a Schedule IV opioid analgesic.

About Cara Therapeutics

Cara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pain and pruritus by selectively targeting kappa opioid receptors. Cara is developing a novel and proprietary class of product candidates that target the body’s peripheral nervous system and have demonstrated efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe pain without inducing many of the undesirable side effects typically associated with currently available pain therapeutics.

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Jesse Baumgartner
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
212-362-1200
Jesse@sternir.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Annie Starr
6 Degrees
973-415-8838
astarr@6degreespr.com