NEW YORK – November 8, 2017
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Anavex or the Company) (Nasdaq: AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer, today announced that Christopher U. Missling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anavex, will be a panelist at the 5th Annual Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Business Roundtable. The event is taking place on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, at the United States Capitol Visitor Center, in Washington, DC.
The panel will discuss the latest challenges surrounding the advancement of therapies for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Alzheimer’s disease since the MHPAEA of 2008 was implemented. The panelists will also evaluate the progress made since the 21st Century Cures Act, which was passed last year with modernization steps for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with additional parity elements for the mental healthcare system and resources for precision medicine and biomedical research.
“Mental health is an issue our nation must address, and the best way to do that is to continue to work together from all sides and educate our policy leaders,” said E. Teresa Touey, organizer of the MHPAEA Business Roundtable. “It is important for panelists such as Dr. Missling to attend in order to lend his expertise in developing therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease as well as other neurological disorders with high unmet needs.”
About the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and health insurance issuers to ensure that financial requirements (such as co-pays, deductibles) and treatment limitations (such as visit limits) applicable to mental health or substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits are no more restrictive than the predominant requirements or limitations applied to substantially all medical/surgical benefits. MHPAEA supplements prior provisions under the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 (MHPA), which required parity with respect to aggregate lifetime and annual dollar limits for mental health benefits.
About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: AVXL) is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, pain and various types of cancer. Anavex’s lead drug candidate, ANAVEX®2-73, recently completed a successful a Phase 2a clinical trial for Alzheimer’s disease. ANAVEX®2-73 is an orally available drug candidate that restores cellular homeostasis by targeting sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors. 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 animal models, indicating its potential to treat additional CNS disorders, including epilepsy. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has awarded Anavex a research grant to develop ANAVEX®2-73 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The grant fully funds a preclinical study, which could justify moving ANAVEX®2-73 into a Parkinson’s disease clinical trial. ANAVEX®3-71, also targeting sigma-1 and M1 muscarinic receptors, is a promising preclinical drug candidate demonstrating disease modifications against the major Alzheimer’s hallmarks in transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, including cognitive deficits, amyloid and tau pathologies, and also with beneficial effects on neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Further information is available at www.anavex.com. You can also connect with the company on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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:
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. Research & Business Development Toll-free: 1-844-689-3939 Email: info@anavex.com
Investors & Media:
Clayton Robertson The Trout Group (646) 378-2900 crobertson@troutgroup.com