Anavex Announces Preparation of Regulatory Filings Based on Guidance From the FDA

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2015 -- Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex” or the “Company”) (AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing drug candidates to treat Alzheimer’s disease, other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer, announces that it is moving forward with the development program for ANAVEX 2-73.  Guidance received from the FDA confirms the Company’s strategy to advance ANAVEX 2-73 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in a larger double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 trial.

“Working with a highly vulnerable patient population, the Company is proceeding in a rational, step-wise process.  Armed with the necessary data from the Phase 2a study to optimally design future trials, we look forward to expanding our development program,” said Kristina M. Capiak, Vice President Regulatory Affairs of Anavex.

“The utilization of Adaptive Design and Population Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) modeling is a major strength of the Phase 2a study.  By implementing a different, innovative trial design for ANAVEX 2-73 in Alzheimer’s treatment, it is believed that this is more efficient than a conventional Phase 2 study since it is designed to reduce the risk of a Phase 3 trial failure, as well as receiving the best quality information we can about ANAVEX 2-73,” said Christopher U. Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anavex.  “The advantage of having Population PK/PD data is of value for the development of ANAVEX 2-73 in Alzheimer’s disease and also for other potential CNS indications.”

About Alzheimer’s Disease
Today, Alzheimer’s disease remains the largest unmet medical need in neurology. More than 25 million people are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, with the associated cost of care estimated to exceed $200 billion annually. By 2050, 100 million people are expected to be living with the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder generally characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline. A neurodegenerative form of dementia, the disease begins with mild symptoms and becomes progressively worse.

About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (AVXL) is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel drug candidates to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases and various types of cancer. Anavex’s lead drug candidates, ANAVEX 2-73 and ANAVEX PLUS, the combination of ANAVEX 2-73 and donepezil (Aricept^®), are currently in a Phase 2a clinical trial for Alzheimer’s disease. The drug combination ANAVEX PLUS produced up to 80% greater reversal of memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease models versus when the drugs were used individually. ANAVEX 2-73 is an orally available drug candidate that targets sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors and successfully completed Phase 1 with a clean data profile. Preclinical studies demonstrated its potential to halt and/or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s disease. It has also exhibited anticonvulsant, anti-amnesic, neuroprotective and anti-depressant properties in convulsive epileptic animal models, indicating its potential to treat additional CNS disorders, including epilepsy and others. Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson’s Research has awarded Anavex a research grant to develop ANAVEX 2-73 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease to fully fund a preclinical study, which could justify moving ANAVEX 2-73 into a Parkinson’s disease clinical trial. Further information is available at www.anavex.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

For Further Information
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