EXHIBIT 99.2
CONTACTS:
INVESTMENT COMMUNITY: MEDIA:
Carol Gruetter John Lockhart
NeoTherapeutics, Inc. Halsted Communications, Inc.
Tel: (949) 788-6700 Tel: (800) 600-7111 x.224
e-mail: cgruetter@neotherapeutics.com (213) 957-3111 x.224
e-mail: jlockhart@halsted.com
Margaret Wyrwas and Christine Seketa
Hill and Knowlton, Inc.
Tel:(212) 885-0544 or (212) 885-0350
e-mail: mwyrwas@hillandknowlton.com
cseketa@hillandknowlton.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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NEOTHERAPEUTICS ANNOUNCES AIT-082 PREVENTS EXCITOTOXIC BRAIN DAMAGE
PRESENTED TODAY AT SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE MEETING IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, November 11, 1998 -- NeoTherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NEOT;
NEOTW) announced today new and important findings on AIT-082 (NEOTROFIN-TM-,
leteprinim potassium) that may open a novel therapeutic approach to the
treatment of brain injury and stroke. The research, presented in two
presentations by Drs. Francesco Caciagli and Patrizia DiIorio and colleagues
of the University of Chieti, Italy and by Dr. Bernhard Juurlink and
colleagues of the University of Saskatchewan, describes the ability of
AIT-082 to reduce or prevent brain damage due to neuroexcitotoxins. This type
of damage contributes to the long-lasting disabling effects of stroke as well
as spinal cord and brain injuries. These reports are among seven presented
on AIT-082 at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held
in Los Angeles.
Dr. Juurlink's presentation - entitled "The Hypoxanthine Analogue AIT-082
Promotes Neurite Formation and Regeneration in Hippocampal Neurons,"
describes the abilities of AIT-082 to enable neurons to better withstand
normally damaging levels of glutamate, a naturally occurring neurotoxin. It
also promotes better recovery from glutamate-induced damage. It seems as if
AIT-082 might improve nerve metabolism by influencing the function of
mitochondia, the cell structures responsible for producing energy. The
results suggest that AIT-082 might be used therapeutically for the
establishment, maintenance and regeneration of synaptic connections in the
diseased central nervous system.
Dr. Juurlink said: "These encouraging results illustrate an important aspect
of the action of AIT-082. Energy is essential for all cells to function
properly, in particular cells of the brain. This action of AIT-082 could
serve as a basis for the drug's protective action seen when nerve cells are
subjected to neurotoxic injury as seen in stroke and brain trauma."
Dr. Caciagli's presentation - entitled "The Hypoxanthine Derivative AIT-082
Protects Against Neurotoxicity In Vitro and In Vivo," describes a series of
experiments which were designed to look at the protection of neurons both in
tissue culture and in the brains of animals from damage due to excitotoxic
molecules. AIT-082 enhanced the ability of neurons to withstand this type of
damage. One of the mechanisms by which AIT-082 effects this protection is by
the natural production of protective neurotrophic factors, such as nerve
growth factor. The effects of AIT-082 in these animals were confirmed by
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain of the experimental animals.
The MRI scans showed the therapeutic effect of the drug; those animals who
were given AIT-082 showed less brain damage.
Professor Francesco Caciagli, Chairman of the Department of Biomedical
Sciences at the University of Chieti, Italy said: "These very encouraging
results can serve as the justification of evaluating AIT-082 as a therapeutic
agent from the treatment of stroke as well as traumatic brain and spinal cord
injury."
Dr. Alvin Glasky, President and Chief Scientific Officer of NeoTherapeutics,
based in Irvine, CA, stated: "We are very pleased that these exciting
experimental results from Canada and Italy have extended our knowledge about
the action of AIT-082. While our clinical program of testing AIT-082 for the
treatment of Alzheimer's disease continues at an accelerated rate, we must
give consideration to initiating clinical trials with other neurodegenerative
conditions."
NeoTherapeutics' research program is focused on designing and developing
small molecules capable of promoting nerve regeneration and repair for a
range of neurological diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's diseases, stroke and spinal cord injury. Additional compounds in
NeoTherapeutics' product pipeline address other health issues such as
migraine and depression. For additional Company information, visit the
NeoTherapeutics web site at www.neotherapeutics.com.
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This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future
events and the future performance of NeoTherapeutics that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These
risks include, but are not limited to, the early stage of product
development, the need for additional funding, the initiation and completion
of clinical trials and dependence on third parties for clinical testing,
manufacturing and marketing. These risks are described in further detail in
the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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