EpiCept Announces Presentation of EPC2407 Data at 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting

EpiCept Announces Presentation of EPC2407 Data at 2008 American Society of
Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting

 TARRYTOWN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 2008--Regulatory News:

    EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic Exchange: EPCT) today
announced that it will present data from its Phase I trial of EPC2407
at the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical
Oncology (ASCO), taking place May 30 to June 3, 2008 in Chicago.
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.

    Presentation details are as follows:



  Abstract Title: Initial results of a first-in-man Phase I study of
   EPC2407, a novel small molecule microtubule inhibitor anticancer
   agent with tumor vascular endothelial disrupting activity.

  Authors: S. P. Anthony, W. Read, P. Rosen, R. Tibes, D. Park, R.
   Korn, D. Everton, B. Tseng, J. Whisnant, D. Von Hoff.




  Abstract ID:    2531
  Poster Session: Developmental Therapeutics: Molecular Therapeutics
  Poster Board #: 1
  Date:           May 31, 2008
  Time:           8am-12pm
  Location:       W375e Lobby


    The authors of the poster concluded that EPC2407 studied in 17
patients is a safer and easier to use agent than previous VDA's. The
dose limiting toxicity profile of EPC2407 is consistent with its mode
of action and pre-clinical studies. EPC2407 caused no
thrombocytopenia, leucopenia or neutropenia at any dose studied. It
has not caused renal or hepatic dysfunction as well.

    EPC2407 has been well tolerated by several patients for four or
more cycles with stable disease for at least three month's duration.
CT perfusion studies indicate objective signs of efficacy in these
resistant patients as noted by changes in tumor perfusion and other
measures of anti-tumor activity. Of the nine patients who have
undergone CT perfusion to date: six of the nine had stable disease as
measured by RECIST criteria; 2 of the nine had unconfirmed stable
disease; and one had progressive disease.

    Jack Talley, CEO of EpiCept, commented, "EPC2407 appears to be an
active new VDA, causes direct apoptosis and has an acceptable safety
profile to date for combination therapy." He also added, "We are
encouraged by these results and optimistic to initiate a combination
study in resistant solid tumors before the end of the year."

    About EPC2407

    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. EpiCept intends to begin a
Phase Ib combination trial for EPC2407 with other anti-cancer agents
later this year. In preclinical tumored animal models, combination
therapy has demonstrated synergistic activity.

    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 Corporation

    EpiCept is focused on unmet needs in the treatment of cancer and
pain. 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
recently received a negative opinion and is being re-examined in
Europe. 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 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 risks associated
with the adequacy of our existing cash resources and our need to raise
additional financing to continue to meet our capital needs 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 or that we may default on our loans or that our lenders may
declare the Company in default or that our secured lender would seek
to sell our assets, the risk that the Company's securities may be
delisted by the Nasdaq Capital Market and that any appeal of the
delisting determination may not be successful, the risk that our
appeal of the negative opinion regarding the MAA for Ceplene(R) will
not be successful and that Ceplene(R) will not receive regulatory
approval or marketing authorization in the EU, 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; 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.


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