On October 17, 2012 Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. informed Abbott that it is discontinuing the Phase 3 clinical study, known as BEACON, designed to evaluate bardoxolone methyl in patients with advanced (stage 4) chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes. The discontinuation is based on a recommendation from the study's Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) regarding safety concerns due to excess serious adverse events and mortality in the bardoxolone methyl arm. Regulatory Agencies have been notified of this decision, and study sites and study participants are currently being informed. Reata and Abbott will closely examine the data from this study to determine whether there is an appropriate path forward for the development of bardoxolone methyl in chronic kidney disease or other indications.

Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Presents at The 30th Annual JPMorgan Chase Healthcare Conference, Jan-10-2012 10:00 AM. Venue: Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, California, United States. Speakers: Warren Huff, CEO.

Abbott Laboratories and Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that they have entered into a worldwide collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize Reata's portfolio of second-generation oral antioxidant inflammation modulators (AIMs). The agreement is in addition to the partnership between the two companies announced in September 2010 in which Reata granted to Abbott exclusive rights to develop and commercialize its lead AIM compound, bardoxolone methyl, outside of the United States, excluding certain Asian markets. The collaboration announced is a global agreement and includes a large number of molecules in a broad range of therapeutic areas, including pulmonary, central nervous system disorders and immunology. Abbott and Reata will equally share costs and profits for all new AIMs in all newly licensed indications except for rheumatoid arthritis and select other autoimmune diseases, in which Abbott will take 70% of costs and profits and Reata will take 30 percent. The deal also includes a research agreement in which the companies will work together to discover new molecules that exhibit the same pharmacology as the AIMs already in Reata's pipeline. Abbott will make a one-time license payment of $400 million to Reata. The companies expect the first compound in this collaboration to enter into human clinical trials in 2012. AIMs are potent activators of the transcription factor Nrf2. Activation of Nrf2 promotes the production of a wide range of antioxidant, detoxification, and anti-inflammatory genes. Activation of Nrf2 also inhibits NF-KB, a transcription factor that regulates many pro-inflammatory enzymes. Suppression of Nrf2 and activation of NF-KB have been associated with numerous chronic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disease and COPD. Therefore, agents that activate Nrf2 and inhibit NF-KB may be beneficial in the treatment of these chronic diseases. Under an agreement reached in September 2010, Reata granted to Abbott exclusive rights to develop and commercialize its lead AIM compound, bardoxolone methyl, outside of the United States, excluding certain Asian markets. Reata retains U.S. development and commercialization rights. Reata and Abbott are currently conducting the BEACON study, a multi-national Phase 3 clinical trial of bardoxolone methyl in patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.