"We are very pleased to advance to effective license status in our collaboration with Novartis," said Conatus co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Steven J. Mento, PhD, "and we look forward to working together on emricasan's development, both as a single agent for NASH cirrhosis and as a component of potential drug combinations for NASH fibrosis. In parallel, we are advancing toward a planned announcement later in 2017 of independent pipeline development opportunities aimed at building additional long-term value for our shareholders beyond emricasan." Conatus is conducting three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b EmricasaN, a Caspase inhibitOR, for Evaluation (ENCORE) clinical trials designed to evaluate emricasan treatment in various NASH patient populations: – ENCORE-LF (for Liver Function), initiated in the second quarter of 2017, in approximately 210 patients with decompensated NASH cirrhosis, with top-line results expected in 2019; -ENCORE-NF (for NASH Fibrosis), initiated in the first quarter of 2016, in approximately 330 patients with NASH fibrosis, with top-line results expected in the first half of 2019; and -ENCORE-PH (for Portal Hypertension), initiated in the fourth quarter of 2016, in approximately 240 patients with compensated or early decompensated NASH cirrhosis and severe portal hypertension, with top-line results expected in 2018 followed by an integrated 6-month treatment extension period for clinical outcomes.