Vernalis Initiates V81444 Receptor Occupancy Study

22 August 2012

LSE: VER

Vernalis Initiates Receptor Occupancy Study of V81444

for Parkinson's Disease and Other CNS Indications

Vernalis plc today announces it has dosed the first subject in a Receptor Occupancy study with V81444 which aims to demonstrate A2A activity in man.

Following the successful outcome of the Phase I single and multiple ascending dose study announced on 2 May which showed a good safety and tolerability profile in healthy volunteers, the Receptor Occupancy study will examine the relationship between dose, plasma concentration and blockade of the A2A receptor using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. The trial will also include a preliminary evaluation, using functional MRI (fMRI), of the effects of V81444 on cognitive function. The results are expected by the end of 2012.

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About Vernalis

Vernalis is a revenue generating development stage pharmaceutical company with one marketed product, frovatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine and an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and commercialise multiple novel products focussed on the US prescription cough/cold market as well as seven programmes in its NCE development pipeline. Vernalis has significant expertise in fragment and structure based drug discovery which it leverages to enter into collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies. The Company's technologies, capabilities and products are endorsed by collaborations with Endo, Genentech, Lundbeck, Menarini, Novartis, Servier and Tris.

For further information about Vernalis, please visit www.vernalis.com

Vernalis Forward-Looking Statement

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events including the clinical development and regulatory clearance of the Company's products, the Company's ability to find partners for the development and commercialisation of its products, as well as the Company's future capital raising activities. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the ability of the Company to identify and agree beneficial terms with suitable partners for the commercialisation and/or development of its products, as well as the achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, the acceptance of frovatriptan and other products by consumers and medical professionals, the successful integration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify and consummate suitable strategic and business combination transactions.