Aurinia Pharmaceuticals to Initiate an Open Label Clinical Study to Investigate the Impact of Voclosporin on Lupus Nephritis Biomarkers VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Pharmaceuticals to Initiate an Open Label Clinical Study to Investigate

the Impact of Voclosporin on Lupus Nephritis Biomarkers

VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 9, 2015--Aurinia

Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ:AUPH) (TSX:AUP) today

announced that it will initiate an open label, exploratory study to

assess the short term predictors of response using voclosporin in

combination with mycophenolate mofetil in patients with active lupus

nephritis. AURION (Aurinia early Urinary protein Reduction

Predicts Response) will examine biomarkers of disease activity at 8

weeks and their ability to predict response at 24 and 48 weeks. The

Company expects to complete patient enrolment of this small pilot study

by the 3rd quarter of this year.

The Company expects that this study will act in support of its ongoing

lupus nephritis clinical program. This study should provide the lupus

community with a more clear understanding of voclosporin's time to onset

of action and clinical outcomes.

In the Aspreva Lupus Management Study

(ALMS), one of the largest registration quality studies ever completed

that investigated the treatment of lupus nephritis, certain biomarkers

after 8 weeks were extremely predictive of 24 week response rates. "We

believe the AURION study has the potential to provide validation for

these early biomarkers and provide valuable tools to clinicians who are

managing patients with this debilitating disease," said Dr. Neil

Solomons, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. and

Aurinia is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the global

nephrology market. It is currently enrolling patients in its Phase 2b

clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of its drug, voclosporin, as a

treatment for lupus nephritis ("LN"). LN is an inflammation of the

kidneys, that if inadequately treated can lead to end-stage renal

disease, making LN a serious and potentially life-threatening condition.

Voclosporin is a novel and potentially best in class calcineurin

inhibitor ("CNI") with extensive clinical data in over 2,600 patients in

other indications. Voclosporin is made by a modification of a single

amino acid of the cyclosporine molecule (a CNI approved for use in

transplant patients since 1983). This modification results in a more

predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship, an

increase in potency vs. cyclosporine, an altered metabolic profile, and

potential for flat dosing.

Aurinia also has development and commercialization partners in Canada,

Israel, South Africa and Greater China. Visit www.auriniapharma.com,

www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov for more information.

The Aspreva Lupus Management Study (ALMS) incorporated a six month

induction phase comparing mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to

Cyclosphosphamide, and this data was published in the Journal of the

American Society of Nephrology in 2009. Following the ALMS induction

phase a three year maintenance period was studied comparing MMF and

Azathioprine, and this data was published in the New England Journal of

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Stephen Zaruby, 250-708-4293

& Chief Executive Officer

R. Martin, 250-708-4272

Chief Operating Officer