Aeolus Files Patent Application and Completes Licensure of New Series of Compounds to Treat Infectious and Inflammatory Disease

MISSION VIEJO, CA--(Marketwired - April 15, 2015) -

• Company Intends to Develop New Compounds for Both Biodefense and Traditional Medical Indications
• Technology Licensed From National Jewish Health

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 filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent Office for a new series of compounds demonstrating anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory action. The compounds were developed by Brian J. Day, PhD at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado as a result of an Aeolus-sponsored research grant. Aeolus also announced that it has obtained a worldwide, exclusive license to develop the compounds from National Jewish Health.

"These new compounds are unique in that they augment the body's natural host defense system for fighting both bacterial and viral infection while limiting inflammation, stated Brian Day, PhD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Medicine at National Jewish Health. "Currently available anti-inflammatory drugs work by suppressing the immune system, which can be counterproductive during active infection. This series of compounds has been shown to be effective at killing multiple drug resistant clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cystic fibrosis patients and improve bacterial clearance and diminish lung inflammation in a cystic fibrosis mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection."

Aeolus believes that the new compounds may have applications in both biodefense sector and in several large medical indications. For biodefense, the compounds have demonstrated the ability to kill pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains, while dampening inflammation caused by immune response to both viral and bacterial infections. In some infectious diseases, such as virulent strains of influenza virus, inflammation from the body's normal immune response can increase lethality. Aeolus believes that the combination of anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity exhibited by the new compounds could be particularly beneficial in treating these types of infectious threats.

"These new compounds are well suited to address a major medical need -- novel drugs that have shown efficacy against antibiotic resistant infectious diseases. They represent a very valuable addition to our development portfolio, and they also demonstrate the value of our partnerships with first class research institutions like National Jewish Health," said John McManus, Chief Executive Officer of Aeolus. "The combination of anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory action make these compounds particularly effective in addressing antibiotic-resistant infectious disease threats, as well traditional indications like Cystic Fibrosis."

The Company intends to pursue potential non-dilutive funding for biodefense applications in addition to supporting traditional commercial development of these compounds. 

About Aeolus Pharmaceuticals

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals is developing 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 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as a medical countermeasure against chemical and radiological weapons. 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 of AEOL 10150 made by U.S. government agencies, including the contract with BARDA valued, with options, at up to $118.4 million, to efficiently develop the compound for use in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and 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, and the Company's initiation or potential initiation of a phase 1 study in oncology patients. 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 and 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; competition from other biopharmaceutical companies; and whether BARDA exercises one or more additional options under the its contract with Aeolus. 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, 2014. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.