Matinas BioPharma Announces Abstract on Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of Encochleated Atovaquone in Murine Model of Pneumocystis Accepted for Oral Presentation at IDWeek 2015

BEDMINSTER, N.J., July 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:MTNB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing safe and effective antifungal and anti-bacterial therapeutics for the treatment of serious and life-threatening infections, today announced that preclinical data on encochleated atovaquone (CATQ) will be presented at IDWeek 2015 Oct. 7-11 in San Diego.

An oral presentation on the Company's novel lipid-crystal nano-particle delivered formulation of atovaquone entitled, "Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of Encochleated Atovaquone (CATQ) in Murine Model of Pneumocystis," (Presentation Number 1395) is scheduled for Oct. 10, at 11:45 a.m. during the IDWeek session focused on Resistance Mechanisms.

This pre-clinical study was a collaborative effort among researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the University of Cincinnati, New Jersey School of Medicine at Rutgers University and Matinas BioPharma. The research was led by Joseph A. Kovacs, M.D., Senior Investigator with the NIH Clinical Center, and Parag Kumar, PharmD, Director of the Clinical Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratory at the NIH Clinical Center.

Atovaquone, an anti-infective agent, is currently indicated for the prevention and treatment of pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a condition often seen in immunocompromised patients. CATQ is formulated utilizing Matinas BioPharma's proprietary cochleate delivery technology and is currently under preclinical development in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center's Critical Care Medicine Department.

IDWeek 2015 abstracts will be published as an online supplement to Open Forum Infectious Diseases (OFID), the new Open Access Journal from Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA).

About Matinas BioPharma

Matinas BioPharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing safe and effective broad spectrum antifungal and anti-bacterial therapeutics for the treatment of serious and life-threatening infections. The Company's proprietary, disruptive technology utilizes lipid-crystal nano-particle cochleate to nano-encapsulate existing drugs, making them safer, more tolerable, less toxic and orally available. The Company's lead drug candidate is MAT2203, an orally-administered, encochleated formulation of amphotericin B (a broad spectrum fungicidal agent). The Company also intends to file an investigational new drug application (IND) for MAT2501, which is an orally-administered, encochleated formulation of Amikacin (a broad spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic agent) for gram-negative and intracellular bacterial infections. In addition, the Company is exploring development and partnership options for MAT9001, a prescription-only omega-3 fatty acid-based composition under development for hypertriglyceridemia, which has shown superiority versus Vascepa^® (icosapent ethyl) in reducing serum triglycerides, Total- and Non-HDL-Cholesterol, apolipoproteins and PCSK9 levels.

The Company's lead anti-infective product candidates, MAT2203 and MAT2501, position Matinas BioPharma to become a leader in the safe and effective delivery of anti-infective therapies utilizing its proprietary lipid-crystal nano-particle cochleate formulation technology.

For more information, please visit www.matinasbiopharma.com and connect with the Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.

Forward Looking Statements: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the Company's strategic focus and the future development of its product candidates and other statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "could," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability to obtain additional capital to meet our liquidity needs on acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which will be necessary to complete the clinical trials of our product candidates; our ability to successfully complete research and further development and commercialization of our product candidates; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing; the timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; our ability to protect the Company's intellectual property; the loss of any executive officers or key personnel or consultants; competition; changes in the regulatory landscape or the imposition of regulations that affect the Company's products; and the other factors listed under "Risk Factors" in our filings with the SEC, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Except as may be required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Matinas BioPharma's product candidates are all in a development stage and are not available for sale or use.

CONTACT: Investor Contact
         Jenene Thomas
         Jenene Thomas Communications, LLC
         Phone: +1 (908) 938-1475
         Email: jthomas@matinasbiopharma.com

         Media Contact:
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         LaVoieHealthScience
         Phone: +1 (617) 374-8800
         Email: dconnolly@lavoiehealthscience.com

Released July 27, 2015