Biohaven Closes Second Tranche of Private Placement and Appoints Two New Directors to Board

TORONTO, March 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Portage Biotech Inc. ("Portage" or "the Company") (OTC: PTGEF, Canadian Securities Exchange: PBT.U), is pleased to announce that Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd., wherein Portage has significant equity interest, has issued today a press release, which can be accessed at http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biohaven-closes-second-tranche-of-private-placement-and-appoints-two-new-directors-to-board-300418589.html

About Portage: 

Portage is engaged in the discovery and development of pharmaceutical and biotech products through clinical "proof of concept" with a focus on areas of unmet clinical need. Following proof of concept, Portage will seek to sell or license these products to large pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies for further development and commercialization.

Portage is seeking discovery and co-development partners with expertise in areas such as cancer, infectious disease, neurology and psychiatry to develop and commercialize its therapies. Portage has an interest in novel targeted therapies, stem cell therapies, and new indications for older marketed products that have been found to have novel patentable characteristics that bring new value to patients.

Portage looks to work with a wide range of partners in all phases of development. Collaboration with Portage may include direct funding of other companies or investing human capital from our extensive pool of talented scientists and physicians. Specifically, Portage invests sweat equity as well as, or instead of, capital. Portage's network of associated drug developers, financiers, scientists and physicians can provide substantial value for our partners by mitigating risks, designing clinical trials, providing regulatory expertise, and maximizing the rewards of clinical development.  

Portage's other portfolio companies comprise:

Portage Pharmaceuticals Limited ("PPL"), which is wholly owned by Portage -  PPL management developed an improved, fully human cell penetrating peptide platform called CellPorter^â and nominated its first lead candidate from the CellPorter^â platform, a potent anti-inflammatory peptide that it plans to develop for ophthalmological diseases, including Dry Eye Disease.  PPL is currently working on several new candidates using CellPorter. 

EyGen Limited ("EyGen") a new ophthalmic company, wholly owned by PPL, focused on developing preclinical ophthalmology assets through proof of concept. EyGen's lead asset is PPL-003, a potent anti-inflammatory created by PPL and being developed for topical ophthalmic delivery in patients with ocular surface and anterior segment diseases.

Sentien Biotechnologies Ltd, wherein Portage holds under 20% equity on a fully diluted basis, is a Boston-based firm developing an extracorporeal stem cell therapy for acute kidney injury.  Sentien is preparing to file its IND and has just raised more capital to support its first-in-man trial.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal and Canadian securities laws.  Any such statements reflect Portage's current views and assumptions about future events and financial performance.  Portage cannot assure that future events or performance will occur. Important risks and factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements.

Portage assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update the information in this News Release.

SOURCE Portage Biotech Inc.