News Release Details

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 20, 2014-- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HRTX), a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that it is set to join the broad-market Russell 3000 Index, as well as the Russell Global and Russell Micro-Cap Indexes when Russell Investments reconstitutes its comprehensive set of U.S. and global equity indexes on June 27, 2014, according to a preliminary list of additions posted on June 13, 2014 on www.russell.com/indexes.

Annual reconstitution of Russell’s U.S. indexes captures the 4,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization. Membership in the Russell 3000, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the large-cap Russell 1000 Index or small-cap Russell 2000 Index as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes. Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes.

“We are extremely pleased with Heron’s inclusion in the Russell Indexes,” commented Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of Heron Therapeutics. “Heron is working towards several key milestones, including our NDA resubmission for SUSTOL^™ for the prevention of acute- and delayed-onset chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) planned for the fourth quarter and the initiation of a Phase 1 trial for our post-surgical pain program, expected in the second half. Heron’s inclusion in the Russell Indexes will raise the Company’s visibility among the investment community at an opportune time, as we move towards these important milestones.”

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. Approximately $5.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked to the Russell Indexes. Russell calculates more than 700,000 benchmarks daily covering approximately 98 percent of the investable market globally, more than 80 countries and 10,000 securities. These investment tools originated from Russell’s multi-manager investment business in the early 1980s when the company saw the need for a more objective, market-driven set of benchmarks in order to evaluate outside investment managers.

Total returns data for the Russell 3000 and other Russell Indexes is available at http://www.russell.com/Indexes/performance/default.asp.

About Russell

Russell Investments (Russell) is a global asset manager and one of only a few firms that offers actively managed multi-asset portfolios and services that include advice, investments and implementation. Russell stands with institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals working with their advisors—using the firm’s core capabilities that extend across capital market insights, manager research, portfolio construction, portfolio implementation and indexes to help each achieve their desired investment outcomes.

Russell has more than $259 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2014) and works with over 2,500 institutional clients, independent distribution partners and individual investors globally. As a consultant to some of the largest pools of capital in the world, Russell has $2.4 trillion in assets under advisement (as of 6/30/2013). It has four decades of experience researching and selecting investment managers and meets annually with more than 2,200 managers around the world. Russell traded more than $1.6 trillion in 2013 through its implementation services business. Russell also calculates approximately 700,000 benchmarks daily covering 98% of the investable market globally, including more than 80 countries and more than 10,000 securities. Approximately $5.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked (as of 12/31/2013) to the Russell Indexes, which have provided investors with 30 years of smarter beta.

About SUSTOL™

Heron's lead product candidate, SUSTOL™ (granisetron), is being developed for the prevention of both acute- and delayed-onset chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). One of the most debilitating side effects of cancer chemotherapy, CINV is a leading cause of premature discontinuation of treatment. There is only one injectable 5-HT₃ antagonist approved for the prevention of delayed-onset CINV in patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC); none are approved for delayed-onset CINV in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). SUSTOL contains the 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist granisetron formulated in the Company's proprietary Biochronomer™ polymer-based drug delivery platform, which allows therapeutic drug levels to be maintained for five days with a single subcutaneous injection. Currently available intravenous and oral formulations of granisetron are approved only for the prevention of acute-onset CINV. Granisetron was selected for SUSTOL because it is widely prescribed by physicians based on a well-established record of safety and efficacy.

About Heron’s Post-Surgical Pain Program

Heron is utilizing its proprietary Biochronomer™ polymer-based drug delivery platform to develop drugs designed to extend the duration of action of known active ingredients to address important unmet medical needs. The Company has initiated full development of an established local anesthetic for the treatment of post-surgical pain formulated with its Biochronomer extended release technology. In animal models of post-surgical pain, the Company's drug candidates demonstrated statistically significant pain relief for three days, representing the potential to significantly reduce the need for opiates post-surgery and the length of post-surgical hospital stays. Heron’s lead product candidate in this program, HTX-011, is a unique combination of local analgesic agent bupivacaine and the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam utilizing its Biochronomer extended release technology. Heron expects to move this program into human clinical studies in the second half of 2014.

About Heron Therapeutics, Inc.

Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly A.P. Pharma, Inc.) is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing products using its proprietary Biochronomer™ polymer-based drug delivery platform. This drug delivery platform is designed to improve the therapeutic profile of injectable pharmaceuticals by extending the duration of action.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties associated with the potential approval of SUSTOL^™ and the potential timing for such approval, if approved at all; risks relating to progress in research and development of HTX-011, including the timing of planned toxicology and clinical studies; risks related to other programs; risks related to the launch and acceptance of new products and other risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution investors that forward-looking statements reflect our analysis only on their stated date. We do not intend to update them except as required by law.

Source: Heron Therapeutics, Inc.

Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
Investor Relations Contact:
Jennifer Capuzelo, 858-703-6063
Sr. Manager, Investor Relations
jcapuzelo@herontx.com
or
Corporate Contact:
Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., 650-366-2626
Chief Executive Officer