Newly Issued U.S. Patent Covers Spotlight Innovation's Spinal Muscular Atrophy Drug Candidates

URBANDALE, IA, March 13, 2018 -- Spotlight Innovation Inc. (OTCQB: STLT), a pharmaceutical company targeting rare, emerging and neglected diseases, today announced that U.S. Patent No. 9,895,358 entitled Combination Therapies for Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy has been issued to Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. and The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc. The patent discloses compositions and methods for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), including STL-182 and related compounds, to which Spotlight Innovation holds an exclusive, worldwide commercial license.

The patent’s inventors include Dr. Elliot Androphy of the IU School of Medicine and Prof. Kevin Hodgetts, director of the Laboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration at Brigham and Women's Hospital. A research collaboration between the inventors led to synthesis and early preclinical testing of STL-182. Dr. Androphy and Prof. Hodgetts are members of Spotlight Innovation's Scientific Advisory Board.

About Spotlight Innovation Inc.

Spotlight Innovation Inc. (OTCQB: STLT) acquires and develops proprietary therapies to address unmet medical needs, with an emphasis on rare, emerging and neglected diseases. The Company identifies in-licensing opportunities and manages product development through partnerships with universities, medical schools, contract research organizations (CROs), and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs). At the appropriate stage of research and development the Company will endeavor to pursue product commercialization opportunities including, but not limited to, out-licensing and strategic partnerships with industry leaders. For more information, visit www.spotlightinnovation.com or www.twitter.com/spotlightinno.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements herein include statements regarding Spotlight Innovation’s efforts to develop and commercialize various product candidates, including STL-182, and to achieve its stated benchmarks. Actual outcomes and actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties, such as: the inability to finance the planned development of STL-182; the inability to hire appropriate staff to develop STL-182; unforeseen technical difficulties in developing STL-182; the inability to obtain regulatory approval for human use; competitors’ therapies proving to be more effective, cheaper or otherwise more preferable; or, the inability to market a product. All of which could, among other things, delay or prevent product release, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in Spotlight Innovation’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with Spotlight Innovation’s periodic filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release and Spotlight Innovation undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Contact:
Rene Erickson
Spotlight Innovation Inc.
1-515-274-9087
[email protected]