EpiCept Appoints Recognized Oncology Expert and Pharmaceutical Industry Leader as New Independent Board Member

Regulatory News:

EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic Exchange: EPCT) announced today the appointment of A. Collier Smyth, M.D., former senior vice president of medical strategy – oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS), to its Board of Directors.

Prior to his recent retirement from BMS, Dr. Smyth led oncology medical affairs in the United States, including the U. S. life-cycle development of paclitaxel (Taxol^®), carboplatin (Paraplatin^®) and ifosfamide (Ifex^®). Most recently, he participated in the launch of multiple BMS oncology drugs, including cetuximab (Erbitux^®), dasatinib (Sprycel^®) and ixabepilone (Ixempra^®). During his thirteen-year tenure with BMS, Dr. Smyth oversaw key aspects of medical strategy, medical liaison, medical information, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, quality assurance and compliance in the oncology division of BMS. At times, medical affairs for virology and immunoscience were added to his oncology responsibilities.

"We are delighted that Dr. Smyth has decided to join our Board of Directors,” stated Robert Savage, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "It is a tremendous opportunity to be able to bring someone with his wealth of expertise and experience in the field of oncology to the EpiCept Board, particularly as the company prepares for the launch in Europe of Ceplene^® (histamine dihydrochloride) with a commercial partner. Dr. Smyth will also be an invaluable asset to EpiCept as it pursues regulatory approval for Ceplene in other key global markets and advances its promising earlier-stage oncology compound crinobulin.”

Prior to joining BMS, Dr. Smyth served as vice president of medical affairs with American Oncology Resources, Inc., now U.S. Oncology, where he was responsible for establishing the medical strategic priorities of the country’s largest oncology physician group practice. Previously, Dr. Smyth was the founder and president of New Hampshire Oncology/Hematology, the first office-based medical oncology practice in New Hampshire.

Dr. Smyth also serves on the Board of Directors of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

About EpiCept Corporation

EpiCept is focused on unmet needs in the treatment of cancer and pain. The Company's broad portfolio of pharmaceutical product candidates includes Ceplene^®, a cytokine immunomodulator that recently received marketing authorization in Europe for the remission maintenance of AML patients, and pain therapies that are in clinical development. Two oncology drug candidates currently in clinical development that were discovered using in-house technology have also been shown to act as vascular disruption agents in a variety of solid tumors.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release and any oral statements made with respect to the information contained in this news release, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements which express plans, anticipation, intent, contingency, goals, targets, future development and are otherwise not statements of historical fact. These statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or developments to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results or developments to differ materially include: the risks associated with the adequacy of our existing cash resources and our ability to continue as a going concern, the risks associated with our ability to continue to meet our obligations under our existing debt agreements, the risk that our securities may be delisted by The Nasdaq Capital Market or the OMX Nordic Exchange and that any appeal of the delisting determination may not be successful, the risk that Ceplene^® will not receive regulatory approval or marketing authorization in the United States or Canada, the risk that Ceplene^® will not be launched in Europe in the second half of 2009 or achieve significant commercial success, the risk that we are unable to find a suitable marketing partner for Ceplene^® on attractive terms, a timely basis or at all, the risk that any required post-approval clinical study for Ceplene^® will not be successful, the risk that we will not be able to maintain our final regulatory approval or marketing authorization for Ceplene^®, the risk that Myriad's development of Azixa^TM will not be successful, the risk that Azixa^TM will not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant commercial success, the risk that we will not receive any significant payments under our agreement with Myriad, the risk that the development of our other apoptosis product candidates will not be successful, the risk that we will not be able to find a buyer for our ASAP technology, the risk that clinical trials for EpiCept^TM NP-1 or crinobulin will not be successful, the risk that EpiCept^TM NP-1 or crinobulin will not receive regulatory approval or achieve significant commercial success, the risk that we will not be able to find a partner to help conduct the Phase III trials for EpiCept^TM NP-1 on attractive terms, a timely basis or at all, the risk that our other product candidates that appeared promising in early research and clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in larger-scale or later stage clinical trials, the risk that we will not obtain approval to market any of our other product candidates, the risks associated with our dependence upon key personnel, the risks associated with reliance on collaborative partners and others for further clinical trials, development, manufacturing and commercialization of our product candidates; the cost, delays and uncertainties associated with our scientific research, product development, clinical trials and regulatory approval process; our history of operating losses since our inception; the highly competitive nature of our business; risks associated with litigation; and risks associated with our ability to protect our intellectual property. These factors and other material risks are more fully discussed in our periodic reports, including our reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are urged to carefully review and consider the disclosures found in our filings, which are available at www.sec.gov or at www.epicept.com. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, any of which could turn out to be wrong due to inaccurate assumptions, unknown risks or uncertainties or other risk factors.

EPCT-GEN

*Azixa is a registered trademark of Myriad Genetics, Inc.