Sep. 2, 2009 (PR Newswire) --

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Results from studies related to Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: OPTR) lead developmental product candidates will be presented at the 49th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) to be held at The Moscone Center in San Francisco on September 12-15, 2009.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090413/LA97352LOGO)

    Fidaxomicin abstracts and speakers include:

"Low Recurrence Rate among Patients with C. difficile Infection (CDI)
Treated with Fidaxomicin (FDX)"
Poster Presentation: Yoav Golan, M.D., M.S.
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: L1-1639 in Hall B

"Restriction Endonuclease Analysis (REA) Typing of Clostridium difficile
in a Phase 3 Treatment Trial of Fidaxomicin vs Vancomycin: Decreased Cure
Rate for Epidemic BI/NAP1/027 Strain"
Poster Presentation: Dale N. Gerding, M.D.
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: L1-1642 in Hall B

"Comparative Fidaxomicin Susceptibilities of Isolates Collected at
Baseline, Failure, and Recurrence from Patients in a Phase III Trial of
Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI)"
Poster Presentation: Ellie J. Goldstein, M.D.
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: L1-1641 in Hall B

"Safety of Fidaxomicin Versus Vancomycin in Treatment of Clostridium
difficile Infection"
Poster Presentation: Sherwood L. Gorbach, M.D.
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: L1-1640 in Hall B

"Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of Fidaxomicin in Treatment of
Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI)"
Poster Presentation: Pam Sears, Ph.D.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 9:00am-11:00am Pacific Time
Presentation number: A1-1949 in Hall D

"Rifampin, Rifaximin, OPT-80 and Tigecycline Susceptibility of C.
difficile Strains from Canada and Italy: Rifamycin Resistance Entirely
Predicted by Rifampin E-test with Divergent Rifamycin Resistance among the
Two Countries"
Poster Presentation:  Mark A. Miller, M.D.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 9:00am-11:00am Pacific Time
Presentation number: C2-1958 in Hall D

"Acquisition and Overgrowth of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in
Patients Treated with Fidaxomicin (FDX) Versus Vancomycin (VAN) for
Clostridium difficile Infection"
Oral Presentation: Curtis J. Donskey, M.D.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:45am-11:00am Pacific Time
Presentation number: K-1915 in Room 131

    Prulifloxacin abstracts and speakers include:

"Prulifloxacin, a New Fluoroquinolone Treatment for Traveler's Diarrhea"
Poster Presentation: Prof. Robert Steffen, M.D.
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: L1-1643 in Hall B

"Recommended Ulifloxacin (Prulifloxacin) MIC Quality Control Ranges for
Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 33560 Using a CLSI Multi-Laboratory M23-A3 Study
Design"
Poster Presentation: J.M. Streit
Monday, September 14, 2009 11:15am-1:15pm Pacific Time
Presentation number: D-1433 in Hall B

About Optimer Pharmaceuticals

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative anti-infective products to treat serious infections and address unmet medical needs. Optimer has two late-stage anti-infective product candidates under development. Fidaxomicin, formerly known as OPT-80, is the only antibiotic therapy currently in Phase 3 worldwide clinical development for Clostridium difficile infection. Prulifloxacin is an antibiotic which has completed two Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of travelers' diarrhea, a form of infectious diarrhea. Additional information can be found at http://www.optimerpharma.com.

    Contacts

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Christina Donaghy, Corporate Communications Manager
John D. Prunty, Chief Financial Officer & VP Finance
858-909-0736

Porter Novelli Life Sciences
Jason I. Spark, Vice President
619-849-6005

SOURCE Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.