CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 1, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHTP) today announced that it was added to the Russell 3000® and Russell 2000® Indexes when the Russell Investment Group reconstituted its family of U.S. indexes after stock market close on June 28, 2013.

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. 

The Russell 3000® also serves as the U.S. component to the Russell Global Index, which Russell launched in 2007.

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. Approximately $4.1 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.

About Northera

NORTHERA™ (droxidopa), the lead investigational agent in Chelsea Therapeutics' pipeline, is currently in Phase III development for the treatment of symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH) in patients with primary autonomic failure - an indication that includes a significant number of patients with Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy (MSA) and pure autonomic failure (PAF).  Droxidopa is a synthetic catecholamine that is directly converted to norepinephrine (NE) via decarboxylation, resulting in increased levels of NE in the nervous system, both centrally and peripherally.

About Chelsea Therapeutics

Chelsea Therapeutics (Nasdaq:CHTP) is a biopharmaceutical development company that acquires and develops innovative products for the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including central nervous system disorders.  Chelsea is currently pursuing FDA approval in the U.S. for Northera™ (droxidopa), a novel, late-stage, orally-active therapeutic agent for the treatment of symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in patients with primary autonomic failure.  For more information about the Company, visit www.chelseatherapeutics.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events including our intention to pursue the development of Northera. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These include reliance on key personnel and our ability to attract and/or retain key personnel, the risk that FDA will not agree that our clinical trial results demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of droxidopa, the risk that the FDA will not accept our proposal regarding any trial or other data to support a new drug application; the risk that we will not be able to resubmit the NDA for Northera and that the FDA will not approve a resubmitted NDA; the risk that our resources will not be sufficient to conduct any study of Northera that will be acceptable to the FDA; the risk that we cannot complete any additional study for Northera without the need for additional capital; the risks and costs of drug development and that such development may take longer or be more expensive than anticipated; our need to raise additional operating capital in the future; our reliance on our lead drug candidate droxidopa; risk that we will not be able to obtain regulatory approvals of droxidopa or our other drug candidates for additional indications; risk of volatility in our stock price, related litigation, and analyst coverage of our stock; reliance on collaborations and licenses; intellectual property risks; our history of losses; competition; market acceptance for our products if any are approved for marketing. 


CONTACT: Investors:

         Fara Berkowitz / Susan Kim

         Argot Partners

         212-600-1902

         fara@argotpartners.com

         susan@argotpartners.com

         

         Media:

         David Pitts

         Argot Partners

         212-600-1902

         david@argotpartners.com
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