Anavex to present at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease

July 15, 2011

Hoboken, NJ – July 15, 2011 -- Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex”) (OTCBB: AVXL) today announced that new data on ANAVEX 2-73, the company’s lead compound for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently in Phase I clinical trials, will be presented in two poster sessions at the 2011 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (AAICAD) in Paris, France.

Both ANAVEX 2-73 posters will be presented by Tangui Maurice, PhD, CNRS Research Director, Team II Endogenous Neuroprotection in Neurodegenerative Diseases INSERM, University of Montpellier. Presentation details are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Time: 12:30 – 3:00pm
Title: Preclinical development of new tetrahydrofuran derivatives as neuroprotectants targeting the sigma-1 chaperone protein in Alzheimer's disease
Poster #: P3-448

Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Time: 12:30 – 3:00pm
Title: The novel tetrahydrofuran derivative ANAVEX 2-73 attenuated GSK-3beta activation and Tau hyperphosphorylation in a nontransgenic Alzheimer's disease model in mice
Poster #: 16729

Note to editors: Pursuant to AAICAD policy, the abstracts for these poster presentations cannot be disclosed until the formal presentations have been made.

Any parties interested in meeting with the Anavex team at AAICAD may contact the company’s communication’s team at +1 (416) 489-0092 or ir@anavex.com.

The 2011 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease takes place July 16-21 in Paris, France. AAICAD is the world's premiere forum for reporting and discussion of groundbreaking research and information on the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Additional information about the conference is available at http://www.alz.org/icad/overview.asp.

About the ANAVEX 2-73 Phase I Clinical Trial
This Phase I clinical trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled study to initially test ANAVEX 2-73 as a single, ascending oral dose in healthy male volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. The trial seeks to determine the maximum tolerated single dose, safety and pharmacokinetics.

The Phase I clinical trial is being conducted in Germany in collaboration with ABX-CRO, a clinical research organization that has conducted several Alzheimer’s disease studies, and the Technical University of Dresden.

About Alzheimer’s Disease
While Alzheimer’s disease is most common in people over the age of 65, it can strike adults of any age irrespective of their gender, background or socioeconomic status. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.4 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. The number of Americans aged 65 and over with Alzheimer’s is estimated to reach 7.7 million in 2030. This represents a 50 percent increase from the 5.2 million Americans aged 65 and older who are currently affected. The Alzheimer’s Association further projects that the number of Americans aged 65 and older who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease may double or triple to between 11 and 16 million by 2050 unless there are developments to prevent or more effectively treat the disease.

About ANAVEX 2-73
ANAVEX 2-73 is the first of a new class of oral, disease-modifying drugs being studied to potentially treat Alzheimer’s disease itself, versus treating its symptoms.

About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (www.anavex.com) is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel drug candidates for the treatment of neurological diseases and cancer. The Anavex proprietary SIGMACEPTOR™ Discovery Platform involves the rational design of drug compounds targeted to specific receptors involved in the modulation of multiple cellular biochemical signaling pathways.

The SIGMACEPTOR™-N program involves the development of novel drug candidates that target neurological and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, depression, pain). The company's lead drug candidates exhibit high affinity for sigma receptors, which have been extensively documented as potentially valuable drug targets and have demonstrated anti-amnesic and neuroprotective properties. A portfolio of back-up compounds to ANAVEX 2-73 are also in development.

Anavex is a publicly traded company under the symbol AVXL.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include that ANAVEX 2-73 is the first of a new class of oral, disease-modifying drugs. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug discovery and development, which include, without limitation, the potential failure of development candidates to advance through preclinical studies or demonstrate safety and efficacy in clinical testing and the ability to pass clinical trials so as to move on to the next phase, our ability to retain key employees and our ability to finance development or satisfy the rigorous regulatory requirements for new drugs. Competitors may develop better or cheaper alternatives to our products. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

For Further Information
Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Research & Business Development
Email: info@anavex.com

Shareholder & Media Relations
Toll-free: 1-866-505-2895
Outside North America: +1 (416) 489-0092
Email: ir@anavex.com
www.anavex.com

For more information contact:
Primoris Group Inc.
Shareholder & Media Relations
Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Phone: 1-866-505-2895
Email: ir@anavex.com
Website: www.anavex.com

Click here to view our Sources Listing:

Dr. Cameron Durrant, MD, MBA, Alzheimer's Disease and Pharmaceuticals/Biotech Expert

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