Cerecor Engages SunTrust Robinson Humphrey to Assist with Review of Strategic Alternatives

Cerecor Inc. (NASDAQ: CERC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments to make a difference in the lives of patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, today announced that it has initiated a process to explore and review a range of strategic alternatives focused on maximizing stockholder value and has engaged SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. (“SunTrust”) as its exclusive financial advisor for this process. Potential strategic alternatives that may be explored or evaluated as part of this process include an acquisition, merger, business combination or other strategic transaction. The Company has not made a decision to pursue any specific transaction or other strategic alternative, and there can be no assurance that this process will result in any such transaction.
“The engagement of SunTrust adds to our ongoing efforts to explore various options for Cerecor,” said Dr. Uli Hacksell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cerecor.
About Cerecor
Cerecor is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative drug candidates to make a difference in the lives of patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Cerecor has a portfolio of novel clinical and preclinical compounds that we are developing for a variety of indications.
CERC-501 is a potent and selective kappa opioid receptor antagonist being developed as an adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (“MDD”). CERC-501 has been observed to have positive activity in animal models of depression, and it has been generally well tolerated in four human clinical trials. Currently, three externally funded clinical trials are being conducted to evaluate the use of CERC-501 in treating depressive symptoms, stress-related smoking relapse and cocaine addiction. One trial is being conducted under the auspices of the National Institute of Mental Health, the second trial is a collaboration between Cerecor and Yale University with funding from the National Institutes of Health and the third trial is being conducted at Rockefeller University Hospital with funding from a private foundation.
CERC-301 is an oral, NR2B specific N-methyl-D-aspartate (“NMDA”) receptor antagonist being developed as an oral, adjunctive treatment for patients with MDD who are failing to achieve an adequate response to their current antidepressant treatment. We believe CERC-301 has the potential to produce a significant reduction in depression symptoms in a matter of days, as compared to weeks or months with conventional therapies, because it specifically blocks the NMDA receptor subunit 2B. We believe this mechanism of action may provide rapid and significant antidepressant activity without the adverse side effect profile of non-selective NMDA receptor antagonists, such as ketamine.
CERC-611 is a potent and selective Transmembrane AMPA Receptor Regulatory Proteins-γ8-dependent α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor antagonist, which we plan to develop as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures in patients with epilepsy. We expect to file an investigational new drug application with the FDA and thereafter commence Phase 1 development in 2017, provided we secure additional financing.
Cerecor’s brain penetrant catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors, including CERC-406, are in preclinical development and may have potential procognitive activity.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond Cerecor’s control), which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to Cerecor’s plans, objectives, projections, expectations and intentions and other statements identified by words such as “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “continue,” “seeks,” “aims,” “predicts,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential” or similar expressions (including their use in the negative), or by discussions of future matters such as Cerecor’s pursuit of potential strategic alternatives, the development of product candidates or products, potential attributes and benefits of product candidates, the expected timing of the commencement of clinical trials, the expected timing of data from clinical trials, and other statements that are not historical. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Cerecor’s management but are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in Cerecor’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, Cerecor expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Cerecor’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.