Equillium, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory disorders with high unmet medical need, today announced that an abstract was accepted for presentation at ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. The meeting, the world’s premier virtual rheumatology experience, will take place online November 10 – 14, 2022 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Title: Urine ALCAM is a Strong Predictor of Lupus Nephritis

First Author: Dalena Chu, Associate Scientist, Equillium, Inc.

Session Title: SLE – Diagnosis, Manifestations, and Outcomes Poster II: Manifestations

Session Type: Virtual Poster

Date and Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET, Sunday, November 13, 2022

Abstract Number: 1478

The abstract highlights that levels of urinary soluble ALCAM (sALCAM) is a potential biomarker of disease severity in lupus nephritis that could be indicative of a patient’s response to treatment. Analyses are in progress to evaluate sALCAM in combination with other measures of disease severity to predict longer term disease outcomes.

About Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) / Lupus Nephritis (LN)

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organs. It can affect the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. Lupus nephritis is a serious complication of SLE, occurring in approximately 30% – 60% of individuals with SLE. In LN, the body’s own immune system attacks the kidneys, causing inflammation and significantly reducing kidney function over time.

About Itolizumab

Itolizumab is a clinical-stage, first-in-class anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody that selectively targets the CD6-ALCAM pathway. This pathway plays a central role in modulating the activity and trafficking of T cells that drive a number of immuno-inflammatory diseases. Equillium acquired rights to itolizumab through an exclusive partnership with Biocon Limited.

About Equillium

Equillium is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging a deep understanding of immunobiology to develop novel therapeutics to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory disorders with high unmet medical need. The company’s pipeline consists of the following novel immunomodulatory assets targeting immuno-inflammatory pathways. Itolizumab, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody that targets the CD6-ALCAM signaling pathway which plays a central role in the modulation of effector T cells, is currently in a Phase 3 study for patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and is in a Phase 1b study for patients with lupus/lupus nephritis. EQ101, a first-in-class tri-specific cytokine inhibitor that selectively targets IL-2, IL-9, and IL-15, is Phase 2 ready and expected to begin enrolling patients in an alopecia areata study in the second half of 2022. EQ102, a bi-specific cytokine inhibitor that selectively targets IL-15 and IL-21, is ready for clinical development and expected to begin enrolling patients in a Phase 1 study anticipated to include normal healthy volunteers and celiac disease patients, in the second half of 2022.

For more information, visit www.equilliumbio.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", “could”, “continue”, "expect", "estimate", “may”, "plan", "outlook", “future” and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the potential benefit sALCAM as a potential biomarker and indicator of a patient’s potential responsiveness to treatment; the potential benefit of treating patients with aGVHD or lupus/lupus nephritis with itolizumab, Equillium’s plans and expected timing for developing itolizumab including the expected timing of initiating, completing and announcing further results from the EQUALISE study, Equillium’s plans and expected timing for developing EQ101 and EQ102 including the expected timing of initiating, completing and announcing further results from Phase 2 and Phase 1 studies, respectively, the potential for any of Equillium’s ongoing or planned clinical studies to show safety or efficacy, and Equillium’s plans and expected timing for developing its product candidates and potential benefits of its product candidates. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: uncertainties related to the abilities of the leadership team to perform as expected; Equillium’s ability to execute its plans and strategies; risks related to performing clinical studies; the risk that interim results of a clinical study do not necessarily predict final results and that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues, following more comprehensive reviews of the data, and as more patient data become available; potential delays in the commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical studies and the reporting of data therefrom; the risk that studies will not be completed as planned; Equillium’s plans and product development, including the initiation and completion of clinical studies and the reporting of data therefrom; whether the results from clinical studies will validate and support the safety and efficacy of Equillium’s product candidates; changes in the competitive landscape; uncertainties related to Equillium’s capital requirements; having to use cash in ways or on timing other than expected and the impact of market volatility on cash reserves; and economic, business, competitive, and/or regulatory factors affecting the businesses of Equillium and Metacrine generally. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully under the caption "Risk Factors" and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of their respective Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, their Current Reports on Form 8-K and other and SEC filings and reports, which may be accessed for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at http://www.sec.gov and on Equillium’s and Metacrine’s respective website under the heading “Investors.” Investors should take such risks into account and should not rely on forward-looking statements when making investment decisions. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Equillium and Metacrine undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

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