Aeolus Receives Orphan Drug Designation From US FDA for AEOL 10150 for Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

MISSION VIEJO, CA--(Marketwired - March 17, 2015) - Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: AOLS), a biotechnology company developing compounds to protect against radiological and chemical threats with significant funding from the US Government, announced today that it has received notice from the Office of Orphan Products Development at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granting Orphan Drug Designation for AEOL 10150 "for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis." Orphan Drug Designation entitles the sponsor to a seven-year marketing exclusivity period, clinical protocol assistance with the FDA, as well as federal grants and tax credits.

Aeolus is also developing AEOL 10150 as a treatment for cancer patients receiving radiation therapy and for the pulmonary and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure under a five-year contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"We are very pleased that AEOL 10150 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)," commented John McManus, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aeolus. "IPF is a terrible disease with limited treatment options. We look forward to providing further updates on our IPF program for AEOL 10150 in the near future. We are also grateful to BARDA for funding our program for AEOL 10150 for the treatment of the lung syndrome of acute radiation syndrome (Lung-ARS). The data generated in the BARDA program showing AEOL 10150's potent anti-fibrotic activity led directly to our filing for Orphan Drug status for IPF and our plans to develop 10150 in this indication."

About AEOL 10150
AEOL 10150 is a broad-spectrum catalytic antioxidant specifically designed to neutralize reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The neutralization of these species reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and subsequent tissue damage-signaling cascades resulting from radiation exposure. AEOL 10150 may have a profound beneficial impact on people who have been exposed, or are about to be exposed, to high-doses of radiation in the treatment of oncology. AEOL 10150 has performed well in preclinical and non-clinical studies, demonstrating statistically significant survival efficacy in an acute radiation-induced lung injury model, and was well-tolerated in two human clinical trials.

About Aeolus Pharmaceuticals
Aeolus Pharmaceuticals is developing a platform of a new class of broad-spectrum, catalytic-antioxidant compounds that protect healthy tissue from the damaging effects of radiation. Its first compound, AEOL 10150, is being developed, with funding by the US Department of Health and Human Services, as a medical countermeasure against chemical and radiological weapons, where its initial target indications are as a protective agent against the effects of acute radiation syndrome and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure. Aeolus' strategy is to leverage the substantial investment in toxicology, manufacturing, and preclinical and clinical studies made by US Government agencies in AEOL 10150, including the contract with BARDA valued, with options, at up to $118.4 million, to efficiently develop the compound for use in oncology. For more information, please visit Aeolus's corporate website at www.aolsrx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release that are not purely statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to Aeolus' product candidates, as well as its proprietary technologies and research programs, the Company's potential initiation of large efficacy studies in mice and NHPs, as well as a phase 1 study in healthy normal volunteers, the BARDA Contract, and the expected use of proceeds from the financing. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Aeolus' actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause results to differ include risks associated with uncertainties of progress and timing of clinical trials, scientific research and product development activities, difficulties or delays in development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, the need to obtain funding for pre-clinical and clinical trials and operations, the scope and validity of intellectual property protection for Aeolus' product candidates, proprietary technologies and their uses, and competition from other biopharmaceutical companies, and whether BARDA exercises one or more additional options under the BARDA Contract. Certain of these factors and others are more fully described in Aeolus' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Aeolus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.