EpiCept Appoints Recognized Oncology Expert and Pharmaceutical Industry Leader as New Independent Board Member

EpiCept Appoints Recognized Oncology Expert and Pharmaceutical Industry Leader
as New Independent Board Member 

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

EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic Exchange: EPCT) announced today the
appointment of A. Collier Smyth, M.D., former senior vice president of medical
strategy - oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS), to its Board of
Directors. 

Prior to his recent retirement from BMS, Dr. Smyth led oncology medical affairs
in the United States, including the U. S. life-cycle development of paclitaxel
(Taxol®), carboplatin (Paraplatin®) and ifosfamide (Ifex®). Most recently, he
participated in the launch of multiple BMS oncology drugs, including cetuximab
(Erbitux®), dasatinib (Sprycel®) and ixabepilone (Ixempra®). During his
thirteen-year tenure with BMS, Dr. Smyth oversaw key aspects of medical
strategy, medical liaison, medical information, clinical operations, regulatory
affairs, quality assurance and compliance in the oncology division of BMS. At
times, medical affairs for virology and immunoscience were added to his oncology
responsibilities. 

“We are delighted that Dr. Smyth has decided to join our Board of Directors,”
stated Robert Savage, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “It is a tremendous
opportunity to be able to bring someone with his wealth of expertise and
experience in the field of oncology to the EpiCept Board, particularly as the
company prepares for the launch in Europe of Ceplene® (histamine
dihydrochloride) with a commercial partner. Dr. Smyth will also be an invaluable
asset to EpiCept as it pursues regulatory approval for Ceplene in other key
global markets and advances its promising earlier-stage oncology compound
crinobulin.” 

Prior to joining BMS, Dr. Smyth served as vice president of medical affairs with
American Oncology Resources, Inc., now U.S. Oncology, where he was responsible
for establishing the medical strategic priorities of the country's largest
oncology physician group practice. Previously, Dr. Smyth was the founder and
president of New Hampshire Oncology/Hematology, the first office-based medical
oncology practice in New Hampshire. 

Dr. Smyth also serves on the Board of Directors of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

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
Ceplene®, a cytokine immunomodulator that recently received marketing
authorization in Europe for the remission maintenance of AML patients, and pain
therapies that are in clinical development. Two oncology drug candidates
currently in clinical development that were discovered using in-house 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 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 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 AzixaTM will not be successful, the risk that AzixaTM 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 other product candidates, the risks associated with our 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. 


CONTACT:
EpiCept Corporation:
Robert W. Cook, 914-606-3500
mail@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