$CARA to Present at American Pain Society 34th Annual Scientific Meeting

• Pain experts to discuss kappa opioid receptor agonists and latest developments in pain management
• Company to present positive data from Phase 2, human abuse liability studies of I.V. CR845 during poster sessions

SHELTON, Conn., May 6, 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 a Town Hall Talk titled “Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonists (KORAs) — Moving Beyond Mu” at the American Pain Society’s 34^th Annual Scientific Meeting in Palm Springs, California. Leading experts will discuss the scientific and clinical progress of a new class of analgesics, kappa opioid receptor agonists (KORAs), and share 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 only Schedule V or non-scheduled opioid for acute pain.

The Town Hall Talk details are as follows:

In addition, Cara will present two posters in author-attended sessions. Both posters will remain on display throughout the duration of the event, from Wednesday, May 13 through Friday, May 15.

For more information about the American Pain Society’s 34^th Annual Scientific Meeting, visit:https://americanpainsociety.org/annual-meeting/upcoming-annual-meeting/overview.

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