NeuroRx Partners with Leading Patient Advocacy Groups and Experts in the Bipolar Disorder Community to Launch 1st Global “Voice of the Patient” Survey to Gain Insights Into Care Received During Hospitalization for a Suicidal Crisis

Recent hospitalization is a risk factor for further suicide
attempts — potentially related to patient care perceptions

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NeuroRx launches the first global “Voice of the Patient Survey” for
those diagnosed with bipolar disorder, in collaboration with leading
patient advocacy groups, mental health advocates and expert opinion
leaders. The strictly anonymous survey, seeking 1,000 respondents, will
allow for a greater understanding of the care people with bipolar
disorder received during hospitalization for an acute suicidal crisis or
a suicide attempt. NeuroRx is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company
developing NRX-101, a first-in-class drug for the treatment of Acute
Suicidal Ideation and Behavior (ASIB) in bipolar
depression.

Researchers concur that recent hospitalization for a suicidal attempt is
a serious risk factor for further suicidal attempts. While many factors
may contribute to this, including the underlying psychiatric condition,
little data exists on the patient’s perspective about the care that was
received. This survey will seek, for the first time, to understand
where, and what types of care, succeeded or failed, to meet the
patient’s needs through the eyes of those who have experienced the
nightmare of suicidal depression.

The International Bipolar Foundation, Hope Xchange Nonprofit,
Julie Fast (bipolar advocate and author of “Loving Someone with
Bipolar Disorder”), and Natasha Tracy (bipolar advocate and
author of “Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression &
Bipolar”), will help launch the survey and encourage the bipolar
community to take part in the survey.

The risk of suicide in people with bipolar depression is 20-30 times
greater than that of the general population and significantly higher
than that associated with other depressive disorders. Over a five-year
period, around 28% of patients with bipolar depression will attempt
suicide, and 11% will succumb to suicide. There is currently no medicine
approved specifically to reduce suicidal ideation and behavior in
bipolar disorder. The current standard of care includes voluntary, or
involuntary hospitalization and potentially electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT).

“When a person attempts suicide, it is typically a symptom of an
illness,” Natasha Tracy explains. “No rational person wakes up one day
and chooses to take his or her life. It is the extreme pain that bipolar
disorder can bring that causes this drastic symptom to manifest.”

“In our ‘Hope for Bipolars’ free peer mentoring program, those we
mentor, who have been recently discharged from psychiatric hospitals for
a suicide attempt, are frequently released back into the same toxic
environment that contributed to their initial attempt,” explains Kerry
Martin, CEO and Founder of Hope Xchange Nonprofit. “They have
often been abandoned or misunderstood by their families and friends, are
dealing with unbearable loneliness and are unable to advocate for
themselves in an underfunded mental health care system devoid of
compassion. They live alone in the dark without life purpose and without
hope.”

“Though recent data shows that suicidal ideation in bipolar and other
mood disorders has biological underpinnings, it is a complex syndrome,”
said Robert Besthof, Chief Commercial & Patient Officer at NeuroRx.
“Hence, it is also crucial to understand which other factors in the care
received may contribute to someone having a positive or negative care
experience, especially, if that individual would not want to go back to
the same hospital. Understanding the patient’s perception of what worked
and what did not, may help us design more patient-tailored care,
including care provided in clinical studies.”

“We look forward to sharing the results later this year and thank the
participating patients as well as the organizations and opinion leaders
supporting this initiative.”

About Bipolar Depression and Acute Suicidal Crisis

Bipolar disorder, which affects 5.7 million Americans, is characterized
by significant changes in mood, from mania or hypomania, to depression,
often quite severe. The depressive phase, which is called “bipolar
depression” and is distinct from the unipolar depression of major
depressive disorder, can trigger thoughts of suicide (suicide ideation).
For some patients, these thoughts can become strong, creating an urge to
develop a plan and/or act upon them, making Acute Suicidal Ideation
and Behavior (ASIB) in bipolar depression a uniquely lethal disease.

Many patients do seek medical care, or are brought to care by families
and physicians, yet there is no approved medicine for the treatment of
acute suicidal crisis.

Standard-of-care consists of hospitalized observation and
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In fact, most commonly-used
antidepressants bear an FDA-mandated warning label identifying the
potential to increase the risk of suicide. Studies show that patients
are at continued high-risk for suicide after hospitalization for an
attempt or suicide ideation.

Each day, approximately 100 Americans, and more than 2,100 people
worldwide, end their lives by suicide, according to American Foundation
for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
NeuroRx estimates that more than half of all suicides may be related to
bipolar disorder.

About NeuroRx, Inc.

NeuroRx, Inc. is a privately funded, clinical-stage pharmaceutical
company, developing NRX-101, the first oral therapeutic for the
treatment of Acute Suicidal Ideation and Behavior
(ASIB) in bipolar depression. NeuroRx draws upon 30 years of basic
science and clinical expertise in the role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate
(NMDA), a receptor that regulates human thought processes, particularly
depression and suicidality. Currently, there is no approved drug for
patients with suicidal ideation / behavior. Most antidepressants,
including the SSRI class, carry an FDA “black box” warning for increased
risk of suicide, leaving hospitalization and electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT) as the standard-of-care for people with bipolar disorder
experiencing a suicidal episode. NeuroRx expects to start its phase 2b/3
clinical study of NRX-101 in a few months.

Learn more at NeuroRxpharma.com.

The survey link will be distributed through the digital channels of
these advocacy organizations and authors. You
can see it here.

Patient advocacy groups, author/advocates supporting this initiative:

• Hope
  Xchange Nonprofit
• International
  Bipolar Foundation
• Julie
  Fast – bipolar advocate and author of “Loving Someone with Bipolar
  Disorder”
• Natasha
  Tracy – bipolar advocate and author of “Lost Marbles: Insights into My
  Life with Depression & Bipolar”

Contacts

Media:
Planet Communications
Deanne Eagle, +1
917-837-5866
deanne@planetcommunications.nyc
or
Investor
Relations:
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Matthew Duffy, +1
212-915-0685 (direct)
+1 646-335-5923 (cell)
matthew@lifesciadvisors.com