TORONTO, March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Edesa Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq:EDSA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing host-directed therapeutics for immuno-inflammatory diseases, today announced that its chief executive officer, Dr. Par Nijhawan, has been selected to deliver the inaugural presentation at the Oral Showcase at the ATS 2026 Respiratory Innovation Summit (RIS), organized by the American Thoracic Society (ATS).

Dr. Nijhawan’s presentation will feature findings from Edesa’s Phase 3 study of paridiprubart (EB05), Edesa’s first-in-class anti-TLR4 antibody evaluated as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition accounting for over three million ICU admissions globally each year. Edesa has recently reported two sets of Phase 3 results for paridiprubart. Initial data covered 104 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Expanded results encompass a broader 278-patient population — including both IMV and non-IMV patients — further substantiating the potential clinical benefit.

“To be invited by experts in respiratory critical care to lead off the innovation showcase is an honor and we believe an important validation of the strength of our Phase 3 data and the potential of paridiprubart to transform treatment for patients with ARDS — a disease with few effective options today,” said Par Nijhawan, MD, FRCPC, AGAF.

Dr. Nijhawan’s presentation is scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026. An accompanying poster presentation by Edesa's research team will also be featured at the RIS.

The company also announced that Ted Steiner, MD, of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and principal investigator of the Phase 3 study, will deliver a full oral presentation of the Phase 3 results on May 20, 2026 at approximately 8:30 am ET during the ATS 2026 International Conference. The presentation, titled A Phase 3, Multicenter, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Study of an Anti-TLR4 Antibody, Paridiprubart, in Adult Patients with Respiratory Distress on Invasive Mechanical Ventilation , will be part of the mini symposium on Immune-Endothelial Biology and Targeted Therapeutics in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Edesa’s presentation materials will be posted to the Events section of the Edesa Biotech website during the conference.

About Paridiprubart

Paridiprubart represents a new class of host-directed therapeutics (HDTs) that are designed to modulate the body's own immune response when confronted with known or unknown public health threats such as novel infectious diseases as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents. Importantly, HDTs are agnostic to the causal agent and can be stockpiled preemptively to respond to public health emergencies and biodefense. Mechanistically, paridiprubart inhibits toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a key immune signaling protein that has been shown to be activated by viruses, bacteria, injury/trauma and in the pathogenesis of chronic autoimmune diseases.

About Edesa Biotech, Inc.

Edesa Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDSA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative ways to treat inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Its clinical pipeline is focused on two therapeutic areas: Medical Dermatology and Respiratory. In Medical Dermatology, Edesa is developing EB06, an anti-CXCL10 monoclonal antibody candidate, as a therapy for vitiligo, a common autoimmune disorder that causes skin to lose its color in patches. Its medical dermatology assets also include EB01 (1.0% daniluromer cream), a Phase 3-ready asset developed for use as a potential therapy for moderate-to-severe chronic Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD), a common occupational skin condition. The company’s most advanced Respiratory drug candidate is EB05 (paridiprubart), which is being evaluated in a U.S. government-funded platform study as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, a life-threatening form of respiratory failure. The EB05 program has been the recipient of two funding awards from the Government of Canada to support the further development of this asset. Edesa is also pursuing additional uses for paridiprubart. Sign up for news alerts . Connect with us on X and LinkedIn .

About the ATS 2026 Respiratory Innovation Summit

The ATS Respiratory Innovation Summit (RIS), held in conjunction with the American Thoracic Society International Conference (May 15–20, 2026), is a premier forum for emerging companies presenting transformative respiratory science. The Oral Showcase is a competitively selective program highlighting companies offering differentiated approaches to unmet medical needs in respiratory disease.

Edesa Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "might," "potential," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions, including statements related to: the company’s plans to participate in the RIS and ATS, the company’s belief that paridiprubart could transform treatments for ARDS patients; and the company's timing and plans regarding its clinical studies in general. Readers should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as all such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results or future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Such risks include: the ability of Edesa to obtain regulatory approval for or successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, the risk that access to sufficient capital to fund Edesa's operations may not be available or may be available on terms that are not commercially favorable to Edesa, the risk that Edesa's product candidates may not be effective against the diseases tested in its clinical trials, the risk that Edesa fails to comply with the terms of license agreements with third parties and as a result loses the right to use key intellectual property in its business, Edesa's ability to protect its intellectual property, the timing and success of submission, acceptance and approval of regulatory filings, and the impacts of public health crises. Many of these factors that will determine actual results are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. For a discussion of further risks and uncertainties related to Edesa's business, please refer to Edesa's public company reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the British Columbia Securities Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change. Except as required by law, Edesa assumes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact:
Gary Koppenjan
Edesa Biotech, Inc.
[email protected]