Relmada Therapeutics Names Leading Clinicians and Researchers in Pain Therapy Development to Advisory Roles

NEW YORK, March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Relmada Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: RLMD), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapies for the treatment of chronic pain, today announced the appointment of several leading clinicians and researchers to advisory roles. The panel of experts will provide support for planning of Relmada's development programs and efforts to advance the company pipeline of novel investigational therapies to treat chronic pain. They bring expertise in a range of areas including opioid receptors, addiction, psychiatry, neuropathic pain, and clinical trial methodology.

"We are honored to have attracted this outstanding group of globally recognized experts in pain therapy to work with us," stated Eliseo Salinas, M.D., M.Sc., president and chief scientific officer of Relmada Therapeutics. "Their extensive experience and depth of knowledge in many areas directly related to our pipeline will be a significant asset for Relmada in the years ahead."

The group of scientific advisors includes:

• Gavril Pasternak, M.D., Ph.D., Anne Burnett Tandy Chair in Neurology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and laboratory head in the Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program within the Sloan-Kettering Institute. Dr. Pasternak's research focuses on opioid receptors and their mechanisms of action. He has demonstrated the importance of different sets of mu receptor subtypes in the actions of various opioid analgesics and identified a set of subtypes that offer a unique target for the development of analgesics lacking opioid side-effects.

• Eric C. Strain, M.D. professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and Research. An active clinician, Dr. Strain's research focuses on substance abuse treatment, the abuse liability of novel medications, and the development of new pharmacotherapies for substance abuse treatment (including opioids and alcohol), among other areas. His studies have included medications such as buprenorphine and methadone, two compounds in development at Relmada. Dr. Strain has chaired the Food and Drug Administration's Drug Abuse Advisory Committee and served on various committees related to addiction psychiatry and treatment.

• Andrew Rice, M.D., F.R.C.A. professor of pain research at Imperial College London. A member and previous administrative director of the London Pain Consortium, and recent chair of the IASP Special Interest Group on Neuropathic Pain, Dr. Rice's research is focused on understanding the translational and clinical aspects of neuropathic pain, especially that associated with infectious diseases (HIV, herpes zoster and leprosy) and nerve trauma. He is a workpackage leader and steering committee member in the European Union and EFPIA-funded "Innovative Medicines Initiative" collaboration "EUROPAIN."

• Robert H. Dworkin, Ph.D. professor of anesthesiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and director of the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION) public-private partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Dworkin's current research focuses on the methodology of analgesic clinical trials to provide an evidence-based approach to analgesic clinical trial design. As a principal investigator in clinical trials, he has examined treatments for various types of chronic and acute pain conditions.

• Michael E. Thase, M.D. professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Thase's research focuses on the assessment and treatment of mood disorders, including studies of the differential therapeutics of both depression and bipolar affective disorder. Dr. Thase is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, and vice chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

About Relmada Therapeutics, Inc.

Relmada Therapeutics is a clinical-stage, publicly traded specialty pharmaceutical company developing novel versions of proven drug products together with new chemical entities that potentially address areas of high unmet medical need in the treatment of pain. The Company has a diversified portfolio of four lead products at various stages of development including d-Methadone, its N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist for neuropathic pain; MepiGel, its orphan drug designated topical formulation of the local anesthetic mepivacaine; BuTab ER, its oral dosage form of the opioid analgesic buprenorphine; and LevoCap ER, its abuse resistant, sustained release dosage form of the opioid analgesic levorphanol. The Company's product development efforts are guided by the internationally recognized scientific expertise of its research team. The Company's approach is expected to reduce clinical development risks and costs while potentially delivering valuable products in areas of high unmet medical needs. For more information, please visit Relmada's website at: www.relmada.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements."  These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements.  The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential, or financial performance.  No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those projected.  Relmada undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact

Investor Contact:
Michael Becker, SVP of Finance and Corporate Development
Relmada Therapeutics Inc.
Tel: 212-702-7169
mbecker@relmada.com

Media Contact:
Maura McBride
Berry & Company Public Relations
Tel: 212-253-8881
mmcbride@berrypr.com

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SOURCE Relmada Therapeutics, Inc.