EpiCept Announces Presentation of New Crinobulin Data at 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting

EpiCept Announces Presentation of New Crinobulin Data at 2009 American Society
of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting

TARRYTOWN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic
Exchange: EPCT) today announced that it will present data from its Phase Ia
trial of crinobulin at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of
Clinical Oncology (ASCO), taking place May 29 to June 2, 2009 in Orlando,
Florida. Crinobulin is EpiCept's novel small molecule vascular disruption agent
(VDA) and apoptosis inducer for the treatment of patients with advanced solid
tumors and lymphomas. 

Presentation details are as follows: 

Abstract #3569 - General Poster Session, Developmental Therapeutics: Molecular
Therapeutics, Saturday, May 30, 2009, 8:00am-12:00pm EDT, Level 2, West Hall C 

Title: "Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results of a 4-hr IV administration
phase I study with EPC2407, a novel vascular disrupting agent.” 

The authors of the poster evaluated the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
effects of crinobulin with different dosing schedules. Prolonged infusion of
crinobulin to extend exposure of tumor vasculature was designed with
administration of the compound over four hours for three consecutive days of a
21-day cycle. Crinobulin demonstrated the infusion-associated toxicities
characteristic of the VDA drug class but without sustained or cumulative
toxicity. Increasing the infusion duration from 1 hour to 4 hours permitted an
approximate 50% increase in the amount of drug that could be tolerated.
Furthermore, this monotherapy trial in advanced resistant patients showed
encouraging results in selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Early
MRI results also documented a vascular disruptive effect in these patients as
evidenced by decreases in tumor permeability and tumor perfusion. 

Jack Talley, President and CEO of EpiCept, commented, “The results of this study
further expands the body of clinical data showing the clinical promise for
crinobulin. We are encouraged by these results and intend to initiate a Phase 1b
combination trial for the compound with other chemotherapeutic agents in the
second half of this year.” 

About Crinobulin 

Crinobulin has demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in both preclinical and
early clinical studies. In preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, crinobulin
has been shown to induce tumor cell apoptosis and selectively inhibit growth of
proliferating cell lines, including multi-drug resistant cell lines. In April
2008 EpiCept announced positive clinical data from a Phase I study of crinobulin
in patients with solid tumors. 

About EpiCept Corporation 

EpiCept is focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical
products for the treatment of cancer and pain. The Company's lead product is
Ceplene®, which has been granted full marketing authorization by the European
Commission for the remission maintenance and prevention of relapse in adult
patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in first remission. The Company has two
oncology drug candidates currently in clinical development that were discovered
using in-house technology and have been shown to act as vascular disruption
agents in a variety of solid tumors. The Company's pain portfolio includes
EpiCeptTM NP-1, a prescription topical analgesic cream in late-stage clinical
development designed to provide effective long-term relief of pain associated
with peripheral neuropathies. 

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release and any oral statements made with respect to the information
contained in this news release, contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking statements include statements which express plans, anticipation,
intent, contingency, goals, targets, future development and are otherwise not
statements of historical fact. These statements are based on our current
expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results or developments to be materially different from historical results or
from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Factors that may cause actual results or developments to differ materially
include: the risk that we will not have sufficient authorized shares of stock to
raise equity capital, the risks associated with the adequacy of our existing
cash resources and our ability to continue as a going concern, the risks
associated with our ability to continue to meet our obligations under our
existing debt agreements, the risk that our securities may be delisted by The
Nasdaq Capital Market or the OMX Nordic Exchange and that any appeal of the
delisting determination may not be successful, the risk that Ceplene® will not
receive regulatory approval or marketing authorization in the United States or
Canada, the risk that Ceplene® will not be launched in Europe in the second half
of 2009 or achieve significant commercial success, the risk that we are unable
to find a suitable marketing partner for Ceplene® on attractive terms, a timely
basis or at all, the risk that any required post-approval clinical study for
Ceplene® will not be successful, the risk that we will not be able to maintain
our final regulatory approval or marketing authorization for Ceplene®, the risk
that Myriad's development of Azixa™ will not be successful, the risk that Azixa™
will not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant commercial success,
the risk that we will not receive any significant payments under our agreement
with Myriad, the risk that the development of our other apoptosis product
candidates will not be successful, the risk that we will not be able to find a
buyer for our ASAP technology, the risk that clinical trials for EpiCeptTM NP-1
or crinobulin will not be successful, the risk that EpiCeptTM NP-1 or crinobulin
will not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant commercial success,
the risk that we will not be able to find a partner to help conduct the Phase
III trials for EpiCeptTM NP-1 on attractive terms, a timely basis or at all, the
risk that our other product candidates that appeared promising in early research
and clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in larger-scale or
later stage clinical trials, the risk that we will not obtain approval to market
any of our product candidates, the risks associated with dependence upon key
personnel, the risks associated with reliance on collaborative partners and
others for further clinical trials, development, manufacturing and
commercialization of our product candidates; the cost, delays and uncertainties
associated with our scientific research, product development, clinical trials
and regulatory approval process; our history of operating losses since our
inception; the highly competitive nature of our business; risks associated with
litigation; and risks associated with our ability to protect our intellectual
property. These factors and other material risks are more fully discussed in our
periodic reports, including our reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K and other
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are urged to
carefully review and consider the disclosures found in our filings which are
available at www.sec.gov or at www.epicept.com. You are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, any of which could turn out to
be wrong due to inaccurate assumptions, unknown risks or uncertainties or other
risk factors. 

EPCT-GEN 

*Azixa is a registered trademark of Myriad Genetics, Inc.

EpiCept Corporation:
Robert W. Cook, 914-606-3500
rcook@epicept.com
or
Media:
Feinstein Kean Healthcare
Greg Kelley, 617-577-8110
gregory.kelley@fkhealth.com
or
Investors:
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
Kim Sutton Golodetz, 212-838-3777
kgolodetz@lhai.com
or
Bruce Voss, 310-691-7100
bvoss@lhai.com