EpiCept Announces Positive Clinical Data from EPC2407 Phase I Cancer Trial

EpiCept Announces Positive Clinical Data from EPC2407 Phase I Cancer Trial

   CT Perfusion Clinical Data Demonstrate Clear Evidence of Vascular
                          Disruptive Activity

    TARRYTOWN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2008--Regulatory News:

    EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic Exchange: EPCT) today
released clinical study results from the Phase I trial of EPC2407,
which provided visible evidence of vascular disruptive activity.
EPC2407 is EpiCept's novel small molecule vascular disruption agent
(VDA) and apoptosis inducer for the treatment of patients with
advanced solid tumors and lymphomas.

    EpiCept has recently analyzed the imaging data from the first
eight patients enrolled in the study who had measurable Computed
Tomography (CT) perfusion scans. These patients received doses of
EPC2407 ranging from 4mg/kg to 13mg/kg in three different cohorts. The
results indicated that the disease had stabilized in seven of the
eight patients studied. The CT perfusion scan measurements indicated
that overall blood perfusion in the tumor decreased with EPC2407
treatment in the second and third cohorts, indicating an effective VDA
dose had been reached. These data were measured five days after the
last dose in a cycle, suggesting a sustained effect after dosing. In
addition, the patients with stable disease over several treatment
cycles had the greatest decreases in tumor perfusion as well as
results indicative of decreased blood flow and decreased blood volume
to the tumor, all suggesting a potential anti-tumor response.

    The anti-cancer effect of EPC2407 was seen across a wide varietyof advanced tumor types including patients with: pancreatic, non-small
cell lung cancer, colon, prostate, gastrointestinal, metastatic
melanoma, and parotid carcinoma. Patients were treated with up to five
cycles of EPC2407.

    Jack Talley, President and CEO of EpiCept Corporation, stated,"These data are strong evidence of VDA activity in patients enrolled
in the trial and confirm previously published animal data that
demonstrated the ability of EPC2407 to inhibit tumor growth in various
cancers. We look forward to sharing these data more fully at upcoming
cancer meetings later this year. We also are continuing our
preparations for a Phase Ib trial for EPC2407 in combination with
other chemotherapeutic agents, which we anticipate will commence later
this year."

    EPC2407 has shown promising vascular targeting activity with
potent anti-tumor activity in pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo
studies. The molecule has been shown to induce tumor cell apoptosis
and selectively inhibit growth of proliferating cell lines, including
multi-drug resistant cell lines. Murine models of human tumor
xenografts demonstrated EPC2407 inhibits growth of established tumors
of a number of different cancer types.

    In October 2007, EpiCept announced the successful completion of
the Phase I clinical trial for EPC2407, with all of the trial's
objectives having been met. The Company has since decided to further
enroll additional patients with an extended infusion time for the drug
in order to determine whether higher doses can be tolerated.

    EPC2407 is one of two compounds currently in clinical trials
discovered through EpiCept's Anti-cancer Screening Apoptosis Program
(ASAP). The second compound, MPC-6827, is part of the EP90745 series
of apoptosis inducers licensed by EpiCept to Myriad Genetics, Inc. as
part of an exclusive, worldwide development and commercialization
agreement. Myriad previously announced that MPC-6827, developed under
the trademark Azixa(TM), has a second mode of action due to vascular
disruption activity. The compound is currently being evaluated in
three Phase II human clinical trials, one in patients with primary
brain cancer and the others in brain metastases due to melanoma and in
non-small cell lung cancer. EpiCept's licensing agreement with Myriad
for Azixa includes milestone payments, and sublicensing income as well
as future royalties in the event Myriad's development of Azixa
continues to progress successfully.

    About EpiCept's ASAP Technology

    Cancer cells often exhibit unchecked growth caused by the
disabling or absence of the natural process of programmed cell death,
which is called apoptosis. Apoptosis is normally triggered to destroy
a cell from within when it outlives its purpose or it is seriously
damaged. One of the most promising approaches in the fight against
cancer is to selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells, thereby
checking, and perhaps reversing, the improper cell growth.

    EpiCept's proprietary apoptosis screening technology can
efficiently identify new cancer drug candidates and molecular targets
that selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells through the use of
chemical genetics and its proprietary live cell high-throughput
caspase-3 screening technology. Chemical genetics is a research
approach investigating the effect of small molecule drug candidates on
the cellular activity of a protein, enabling researchers to determine
the protein's function. Using this approach with its proprietary
caspase-3 screening technology, EpiCept researchers can focus their
investigation on the cellular activity of small molecule drug
candidates and their relationship to apoptosis.

    This combination of chemical genetics and caspase-3 screening
technology allows EpiCept's researchers to discover and rapidly test
the effect of small molecules on pathways and molecular targets
crucial to apoptosis, and gain insights into their potential as new
anticancer agents. ASAP technology is particularly versatile and can
be adapted for almost any cell type that can be cultured, as well as
measure caspase activation inside multiple cell types e.g., cancer
cells, immune cells, or cell lines from different organ systems or
genetically engineered cells. This allows researchers to find
potential drug candidates that are selective for specific cancer
types, which may help identify candidates that provide increased
therapeutic benefit and reduced toxicity.

    EpiCept has identified several families of compounds with
potentially novel mechanisms that induce apoptosis in cancer cells.
Several compounds from within these families have progressed to lead
drug candidate status with proven pre-clinical efficacies in tumor
models and identified molecular targets.

    About EpiCept Corporation

    EpiCept is focused on unmet needs in the treatment of pain and
cancer. The Company's broad portfolio of pharmaceutical product
candidates includes several pain therapies in clinical development and
a lead oncology compound for AML with demonstrated efficacy in a Phase
III trial; a marketing authorization application for this compound is
being re-examined in Europe following a negative opinion. In addition,
EpiCept's ASAP technology, a proprietary live cell high-throughput
caspase-3 screening technology, can efficiently identify new cancer
drug candidates and molecular targets that selectively induce
apoptosis in cancer cells. Two oncology drug candidates currently in
clinical development that were discovered using this technology have
also been shown to act as vascular disruption agents in a variety of
solid tumors.

    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 EpiCept's currentexpectations 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 risks associated
with our need to raise additional financing to continue to meet our
capital needs and our ability to continue as a going concern, the risk
that Ceplene(R) will not receive regulatory approval or marketing
authorization in the EU or that any appeal of an adverse decision will
not be successful, the risk that Ceplene(R), if approved, will not
achieve significant commercial success, the risk that Myriad's
development of Azixa(TM) will not be successful, the risk that
Azixa(TM) 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 our ASAP technology will not yield any
successful product candidates, the risk that clinical trials for NP-1
or EPC2407 will not be successful, the risk that NP-1 or EPC2407 will
not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant commercial
success, 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;
risks associated with prior material weaknesses in our internal
controls; and risks associated with our ability to protect our
intellectual property. These factors and other material risks are more
fully discussed in EpiCept's periodic reports, including its 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 EpiCept's 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.


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