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Cellceutix to President Obama: We Have The Tools And Will Rise Up To The Challenge To Prevent Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Becoming A Serious Threat to Public Health

BEVERLY, MA--(Marketwired - Sep 19, 2014) - Cellceutix Corporation (OTCQB: CTIX) (the "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies in oncology, dermatology, and antibiotic applications, commends President Barack Obama for signing an Executive Order on Thursday, September 18, ordering federal agencies to launch a concerted effort to combat the growing threat from bacteria that is resistant to antibiotic treatment. The Obama administration’s measures are part of the first major federal effort to confront a public health problem that takes at least 23,000 lives a year and has an estimated annual impact of on the national economy of $20 billion in excess direct health care costs.

See New Executive Actions to Combat Antibiotic Resistance and Protect Public Health: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/18/new-executive-actions-combat-antibiotic-resistance-and-protect-public-health

Cellceutix may have one of the world’s best technologies for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria in its novel class of antibiotics called defensin mimetics. They are modeled after host defense proteins, the front line of defense in the innate human immune system. The drug destroys bacteria just like the body would naturally by penetrating the bacterial cell wall, rather than via a biochemical approach like most classes of antibiotics do today. This unique mechanism of action reduces the likelihood of bacterial resistance developing to almost nil.

The public is aware of the Ebola virus threat, but may not be as aware of today’s deadly bacteria. Among the deadliest of resistant bacteria and a major threat to public health is Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia, or CRKP. Cellceutix has been targeting this bacteria and expects to shortly release its study findings. The drug, if successful, would be a major breakthrough.

Cellceutix in approximately one and a half months expects to have have top-line data from its Phase 2b trial of its antibiotic Brilacidin for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections. Cellceutix believes this Presidential Order could not arrive at a better time and is optimistic that the data from the trial will demonstrate that its novel defensin-mimetic platform shreds bacteria quickly with little-to-no chance of resistance developing. Cellceutix believes positive data will position it perfectly to move forward quickly not only with Brilacidin, but its entire defensin-mimetic portfolio with support from the new Presidential Order.

“If we achieve successful data from the recently completed Phase 2 trial, my hope is that people will understand the defensin mimetic’s potential. It’s no longer a world class antibiotic drug, but a world class platform to fight serious public health threats,” commented Leo Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of Cellceutix.