Aerie Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of Jeffrey Calabrese, CPA, as Director of Accounting

DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AERI), an ophthalmic pharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of
first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle
glaucoma, retinal diseases and other diseases of the eye today announced
the appointment of Jeffrey Calabrese, CPA, as Director of Accounting,
reporting to Christopher Staten, Aerie’s Vice President of Finance. Mr.
Calabrese will lead external financial reporting, technical accounting
and equity accounting. He most recently held related positions at Merck
& Co. and Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.) Inc.

In connection with his acceptance of the position as Director of
Accounting, Mr. Calabrese will receive awards totaling 14,400 stock
options that will vest over 4 years, with 25% vesting on the first
anniversary of the hire date and the remainder vesting ratably on each
of the subsequent 36 monthly anniversaries of the hire date. This award
was made outside of Aerie’s stockholder-approved equity incentive plan
and was approved by the Company’s independent directors as an inducement
material to Mr. Calabrese entering into employment with the Company in
reliance on NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), which requires this public
announcement.

About Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery,
development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the
treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, retinal diseases and
other diseases of the eye. Aerie’s first product, Rhopressa^® (netarsudil
ophthalmic solution) 0.02%, a once-daily eye drop approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of elevated
intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or
ocular hypertension, was launched in the United States in April 2018. In
clinical trials of Rhopressa^®, the most common adverse
reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata,
instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information
about Rhopressa^®, including the product label, is available
at www.rhopressa.com.
Aerie’s second product for the reduction of elevated intraocular
pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension,
Rocklatan^® (netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution)
0.02%/0.005%, the first and only fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa^® and
the widely-prescribed PGA (prostaglandin analog) latanoprost, has been
approved by the FDA and is now available in the United States. In
clinical trials of Rocklatan^®, the most common adverse
reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata,
instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information
about Rocklatan^®, including the product label, is available
at www.rocklatan.com.
Aerie continues to focus on global expansion and the development of
additional product candidates and technologies in ophthalmology,
including for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular
edema. More information is available at www.aeriepharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,”
“believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,”
“anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,”
“will,” “should,” “exploring,” “pursuing” or other words that convey
uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook,
analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: our
expectations regarding the commercialization and manufacturing of
Rhopressa^® and Rocklatan^® or any future
product candidates, including the timing, cost or other aspects of the
commercial launch of Rhopressa^® and Rocklatan^® or
any future product candidates; our commercialization, marketing,
manufacturing and supply management capabilities and strategies; the
success, timing and cost of our ongoing and anticipated preclinical
studies and clinical trials for Rhopressa^® and Rocklatan^®,
with respect to regulatory approval outside of the United States or
additional indications, and any future product candidates, including
statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of the
studies and trials; our expectations regarding the effectiveness of
Rhopressa^®, Rocklatan^® or any future product
candidates; the timing of and our ability to request, obtain and
maintain FDA or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action
with respect to, as applicable, Rhopressa^®, Rocklatan^® or
any future product candidates, including the expected timing of, and
timing of regulatory and/or other review of, filings for, as applicable,
Rhopressa^®, Rocklatan^® or any future product
candidates; the potential advantages of Rhopressa^® and
Rocklatan^® or any future product candidates; our plans to
pursue development of additional product candidates and technologies
within and beyond ophthalmology; our plans to explore possible uses of
our existing proprietary compounds beyond glaucoma, including
development of our retina program; our ability to protect our
proprietary technology and enforce our intellectual property rights; and
our expectations regarding strategic operations, including our ability
to in-license or acquire additional ophthalmic products, product
candidates or technologies. By their nature, forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events,
competitive dynamics, industry change and other factors beyond our
control, and depend on regulatory approvals and economic and other
environmental circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or
may occur on longer or shorter timelines than anticipated. We discuss
many of these risks in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors”
in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). In particular, FDA approval of Rhopressa^® and
Rocklatan^® do not constitute FDA approval of AR-1105,
AR-13503 or any future product candidates, and there can be no assurance
that we will receive FDA approval for AR-1105, AR-13503 or any future
product candidates. FDA approval of Rhopressa^® and
Rocklatan^® also do not constitute regulatory approval of
Rhopressa^® and Rocklatan^® in jurisdictions
outside the United States and there can be no assurance that we will
receive regulatory approval for Rhopressa^® and Rocklatan^® in
jurisdictions outside the United States. In addition, the acceptance of
the INDs by the FDA for AR-1105 and AR-13503 does not constitute FDA
approval of AR-1105 or AR-13503 and the outcome of later clinical trials
for AR-1105 or AR-13503 may not be sufficient to submit an NDA with
the FDA or to receive FDA approval. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations,
financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry
in which we operate may differ materially from the forward-looking
statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking
statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date
of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Contacts

Media: Tad Heitmann 949-526-8747; [email protected]
Investors:
Ami Bavishi 908-947-3949; [email protected]