Nasrat Hakim Named Chairman of Board of Directors for Elite Pharmaceuticals

NORTHVALE, N.J., Jan. 13, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Elite" or the “Company") (OTCBB:ELTP) announced that Jerry Treppel has resigned as the Company’s Chairman and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective January 11, 2016, to pursue other opportunities.

The Board of Directors has appointed Nasrat Hakim, Elite’s President and CEO to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“I want to thank Jerry for his years of dedicated service and contributions to the company, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Mr. Hakim.

Mr. Treppel stated, “I am proud of the accomplishments of the company during my time on the Board. It has been my pleasure to work with Elite’s team and I am confident that the company is well-positioned for the future as it continues to execute on its strategy.”

About Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company which is developing a pipeline of proprietary pharmacological abuse-deterrent opioid products as well as niche generic products.  Elite specializes in oral sustained and controlled release drug products which have high barriers to entry.  Elite owns generic and OTC products which have been licensed to TAGI Pharma, Epic Pharma and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International.  Elite currently has eight commercial products  being sold, additional  approved products pending manufacturing site transfer and a product under review pending approval by the FDA.  Elite’s lead pipeline products include abuse-deterrent opioids which utilize the Company’s patented proprietary technology and a once-daily opioid.  These products include sustained release oral formulations of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain. These formulations are intended to address two major limitations of existing oral opioids: the provision of consistent relief of baseline pain levels and deterrence of potential opioid abuse.  Elite also provides contract manufacturing for Ascend Laboratories (a subsidiary of Alkem Laboratories Ltd.), and a Hong Kong based company for development of a branded product for the United States market and its territories.  Elite operates a GMP and DEA registered facility for research, development, and manufacturing located in Northvale, NJ.

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Including those related to the effects, if any, on future results, performance or other expectations that may have some correlation to the subject matter of this press release, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, its ability to obtain FDA approval of the transfers of the ANDAs or the timing of such approval process, delays, uncertainties, inability to obtain necessary ingredients and other factors not under the control of Elite, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Elite to be materially different from the results, performance or other expectations that may be implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and other factors, including, without limitation, the Company’s ability to obtain sufficient funding under the LPC Agreement or from other sources, the timing or results of pending and future clinical trials, regulatory reviews and approvals by the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory authorities, intellectual property protections and defenses, and the Company’s ability to operate as a going concern, are discussed in Elite's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Elite undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contact:
Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dianne Will, Investor Relations 
518-398-6222
[email protected]