Revive Therapeutics Announces LOI to Acquire PharmaTher’s Psilocybin Program

TORONTO, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Revive Therapeutics Ltd. (“Revive” or the “Company”) (CSE: RVV, USA: RVVTF), a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for medical needs and rare disorders, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “LOI”), dated December 20, 2020, to acquire the full rights to PharmaTher Inc.’s (“PharmaTher”) intellectual property (the “Acquired Assets”) pertaining to psilocybin (the “Acquisition”). PharmaTher, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newscope Capital Corporation (CSE: PHRM) (OTC Pink: PHRRF), is a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of psychedelic pharmaceuticals.

The Acquired Assets will include all of the following:

• all intellectual and work property derived from PharmaTher’s pre-clinical research activities in traumatic brain injury and stroke, with the aim to obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) Orphan Drug Designation;
• all intellectual property portfolio covering neurological disorders, cancers and novel combinations of psilocybin and FDA approved drugs;
• all intellectual and work property derived from the study being currently undertaken by the National Health Research Institute in Taiwan; and
• key provisional patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which include:
  • Psilocybin in the Treatment of Neurological Brain Injury – United States Provisional Application Serial No. 63/011,493 – Relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising psilocybin and their use for the treatment of neurological brain injuries and migraines.
  • Use of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Cancer, United States Provisional Application Serial No. 63/113,913 – Psilocybin’s use of significant unmet medical needs for Liver Carcinoma, Melanoma, Breast Neoplasms, Kidney Neoplasms and Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
  • Psilocybin Pharmaceutical Combination Therapies, United States Provisional Application Serial No. 63/125,106 – Novel combinations of certain FDA approved drugs with psilocybin as a potential therapeutic option to reduce the side effects and improve the effectiveness of psilocybin to treat neurological disorders.

The Acquisition follows the previously announced exclusive research collaboration agreement with PharmaTher to accelerate the development of psilocybin in the treatment of cancer and the discovery of novel uses of undisclosed psychedelic compounds.

“Our psychedelics pharmaceutical program has been predominantly focused on the development and evaluation of our novel orally dissolvable thin film strip for psilocybin, and with the acquisition of PharmaTher’s proprietary psilocybin platform it will complement our objectives in commercializing a unique prescription-based psilocybin product for neurological disorders and FDA orphan drug indications,” said Michael Frank, CEO of Revive.

“PharmaTher discovers novel uses of psychedelic pharmaceuticals, such as psilocybin, and combinations with FDA-approved drugs for development internally or with pharmaceutical partners, such as Revive, which has a unique oral drug delivery system to complement our psilocybin development program,” said Fabio Chianelli, CEO of PharmaTher. “I am pleased that we have found a home for our psilocybin program which will allow us to solely focus our resources on our clinical-stage product pipeline with FDA-approved ketamine to treat neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, depression and pain.”

The final terms of the Acquisition will be agreed to by the parties after the completion of due diligence by Revive. The Acquisition is expected to close on or before January 31, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including but not limited to, the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement.

About PharmaTher Inc.

PharmaTher Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newscope Capital Corporation (CSE: PHRM) (OTC Pink: PHRRF), is a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of psychedelic pharmaceuticals. PharmaTher discovers novel uses of psychedelic pharmaceuticals, such as ketamine and psilocybin, and combinations with FDA-approved drugs for FDA approval to treat neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, depression and pain.  Learn more at: PharmaTher.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Revive Therapeutics Ltd.

Revive is a life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare disorders, and it is prioritizing drug development efforts to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the FDA such as Orphan Drug, Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. Currently, the Company is exploring the use of Bucillamine for the potential treatment of infectious diseases, with an initial focus on severe influenza and COVID-19. With its recent acquisition of Psilocin Pharma Corp., Revive is advancing the development of Psilocybin-based therapeutics in various diseases and disorders. Revive’s cannabinoid pharmaceutical portfolio focuses on rare inflammatory diseases and the company was granted FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of Cannabidiol

(CBD) to treat autoimmune hepatitis (liver disease) and to treat ischemia and reperfusion injury from organ transplantation. For more information, visit www.ReviveThera.com.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Frank
Chief Executive Officer
Revive Therapeutics Ltd.
Tel: 1 888 901 0036
Email: mfrank@revivethera.com 
Website: www.revivethera.com 

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.        

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Revive’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the Offering, including the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Revive at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Revive is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Reference is made to the risk factors disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual MD&A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, which has been filed on SEDAR and is available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.