Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Announces Support of Rare Disease Day 2021

• Catalyst Supporting Facebook Live Panel on Living with a Rare Disease Hosted by The Mighty
  
  
• Catalyst Kicks off Rare Reason Campaign

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Catalyst) (Nasdaq: CPRX), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for people with rare debilitating, chronic neuromuscular and neurological diseases, today announced its support for Rare Disease Day 2021.

Rare Disease Day, observed on February 28th this year, involves activities worldwide to raise awareness of rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives among the general public and decision-makers in industry and government. Efforts taken on this day (and throughout the year) are hoped to increase funds, research, resources, and treatments for the rare disease community. Only 5% of the over 7,000 identified rare diseases have an FDA approved treatment.

As a public demonstration of support, members of Catalyst’s team will be joining the National Organization for Rare Disorders, also known as NORD, in their “Show Your Stripes” campaign by wearing zebra stripes to raise awareness for rare disease. In addition, Catalyst will be launching its own “Rare Reason” social initiative to showcase the reason, the dedication, the drive, behind individuals involved in the rare disease community. Employees, key opinion leaders, and individual patients are invited to share their reason for working in and being involved with, the rare disease community using #RareReason on social media. Keep an eye on Catalyst’s social channels @CatalystForRare to see #RareReason videos.

Dedicated to raising awareness of rare disease and its challenges; Catalyst is sponsoring and will participate in a February 26th Facebook Live event covering topics spanning from adult-onset rare disease, misdiagnosis, and living with chronic illness and, hosted by The Mighty, the world’s leading online patient community. The panel will be moderated by Mike Porath, founder and CEO of The Mighty, with discussion from, Chip, a Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS) patient advocate, and Dr. Ericka Greene, Neurologist, Houston Methodist.

"Rare disease day is a great opportunity to drive awareness around the rare diseases that 300 million people live with," said Mike Porath, founder and CEO of The Mighty. "It's also an opportunity to drive collaboration among the patients, caregivers, doctors, drug makers and more who are working to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases. We're proud to help bring these people and organizations together."

“With over 300 million members, we are proud to support the effort to build unity within the rare and ultra-rare disease community," said Patrick J. McEnany, Chairman and CEO of Catalyst. “This year we are honored to provide our employees, patients, advocates, and family members a platform to amplify their voice and showcase their dedication and passion in advocating for the rare and ultra-rare disease community. Through this initiative we will continue to educate and raise awareness on the prevalence and challenges of those living with a rare disease.”

For information about Rare Disease Day activities, visit .

About Catalyst Pharmaceuticals

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for people with rare debilitating, chronic neuromuscular and neurological diseases, including Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), anti-MuSK antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG) and other neurological and neuromuscular disorders. Catalyst's New Drug Application for Firdapse^® (amifampridine) 10 mg tablets for the treatment of adults with LEMS was approved in 2018 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA"), and Firdapse is now commercially available in the United States. Further, Canada’s national healthcare regulatory agency, Health Canada, recently approved the use of Firdapse^® (amifampridine) for the treatment of patients in Canada with LEMS.

Firdapse is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of MuSK-MG and has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for myasthenia gravis.

About The Mighty

The Mighty is the world’s leading health community, revolutionizing the way people think and talk about health. With more than 3 million members and billions of views on the health stories their members share, The Mighty provides its members with connection and support and provides its partners with insights and marketing opportunities across thousands of health conditions, including many rare diseases.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause Catalyst's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. A number of factors, including those factors described in Catalyst's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2019 and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), could adversely affect Catalyst. Copies of Catalyst's filings with the SEC are available from the SEC, may be found on Catalyst's website, or may be obtained upon request from Catalyst. Catalyst does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.