Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Enters into Use Agreement with Cydex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for Use of Captisol (R) for Ganaxolone IV

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 12, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:MRNS), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative neuropsychiatric therapeutics, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ligand Pharmaceutical Incorporated, for the clinical use of Captisol, a patent protected, uniquely modified cyclodextrin, whose chemical structure was designed to improve solubility, stability, bioavailability and dosing of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Marinus intends to evaluate optimizing its intravenous (IV) dose form of ganaxolone with Captisol.

"We are pleased to announce this important step towards optimizing our IV formulation of ganaxolone for inpatient, acute care treatment situations," said Christopher M. Cashman, President and CEO of Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Ganaxolone IV is planned to be available for human clinical testing next year and complements our existing capsule and liquid suspension dose forms presently in the clinic."

About Marinus Pharmaceuticals

Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative neuropsychiatric therapeutics. The Company's clinical stage drug candidate, ganaxolone, is a novel synthetic analog of the endogenous neurosteroid, allopregnanolone. Ganaxolone is known for its anticonvulsive and antianxiety effects, and has been designed to avoid hormonal side-effects associated with endogenous neurosteroids. Ganaxolone is presently being studied in a multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 2B/3 clinical trial in adult subjects for adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures. The Company currently has a Phase 2 proof-of-concept pediatric clinical trial in progress for ganaxolone as a treatment for behaviors in Fragile X Syndrome and plans to initiate a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical study later this year for the treatment of PCDH19 female pediatric epilepsy. Both Fragile X Syndrome and PCDH19 female pediatric epilepsy are potential orphan disorders that have been related to mutations affecting neurosteroid signaling at extrasynaptic GABAA receptors. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.marinuspharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Marinus, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward looking statements contained in this press release include, among others, statements regarding our expectations regarding our development plans for our product candidate, including optimizing a product's formulation and the clinical trial testing schedule. Forward-looking statements in this release involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the conduct of future clinical trials, the timing of the clinical trials, enrollment in clinical trials, availability of data from ongoing clinical trials, expectations for regulatory approvals, and other matters, including the development of formulations of ganaxolone, that could affect the availability or commercial potential of our drug candidates. Marinus undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the Company in general, see filings Marinus has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.