Santen and Aequus Enter Into a Commercial Collaboration in Canada

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 13, 2017) - Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AQS) (OTCQB: AQSZF) ("Aequus" or the "Company"), today announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement in Canada with Santen Incorporated, the Canadian Branch ("Santen"), a subsidiary of Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., an international market leader in ophthalmology headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Under the agreement, Aequus and Santen will plan to co-commercialize an undisclosed ophthalmology therapeutic product currently under review by Health Canada for marketing approval in Canada.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Santen, a company with a rich history and focus in ophthalmology, as it seeks to bring innovative eye care therapies to patients in Canada affected by ophthalmic diseases. This agreement recognizes and builds upon the commitment of both companies to provide patients with high-quality and differentiated therapies, and will add to the commercial ophthalmology franchise we have been building at Aequus since the successful launch of Vistitan in 2016," said Doug Janzen, Chairman and CEO of Aequus.

"We have a proven track record and well established relations with key Canadian stakeholders in ophthalmology," said Ian Ball, Chief Commercial Officer at Aequus. "The addition of Santen's ophthalmology product and experience to Aequus' existing product offering will further strengthen our growing ophthalmology portfolio and demonstrates our commitment to grow in this important therapeutic area."

"Santen is pleased to partner with Aequus and looks forward to leveraging our joint expertise and resources to make important treatment options available for patients in Canada," said Akihiro Tsujimura, Executive Corporate Officer and Head of Santen North America. "Aequus is an ideal partner for a specialty ophthalmic company, given their well-established sales force and relationships with eye care specialists. This collaboration further reinforces Santen's mission to bring ophthalmic therapies to patients around the world."

Under the terms of this agreement, Aequus and Santen will share the strategic responsibility associated with promotional activities for a currently undisclosed ophthalmic product in Canada. Santen will be responsible for product manufacturing and distribution, while Aequus will be mainly responsible for the field activities. Net product revenues will be split between Aequus and Santen over a ten-year term. The agreement also contemplates fees to Aequus in the event of Santen internalizing the asset prior to the end of the term.

About Aequus

Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AQS) (OTCQB: AQSZF) is a growing specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing high quality, differentiated products. Aequus' development stage pipeline includes several products in neurology, psychiatry and women's health with a goal of addressing the need for improved medication adherence through enhanced delivery systems. Aequus intends to commercialize its internal programs in Canada alongside its current portfolio of marketed established medicines and will look to form strategic partnerships that would maximize the reach of its product candidates worldwide. Aequus plans to build on its Canadian commercial platform through the launch of additional products that are either created internally or brought in through an acquisition or license; remaining focused on highly specialized therapeutic areas, including neurology and ophthalmology. For further information, please visit www.aequuspharma.ca.

About Santen

As a specialty company dedicated to the ophthalmic field, Santen carries out research, development, marketing, and sales of pharmaceuticals and devices. Santen is the market leader in Japan for prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals and sells products in approximately 60 countries. As a leading company in the field of ophthalmology, Santen aims to contribute to society by supplying valuable products and services to satisfy unmet medical needs. For more details, please see Santen's website (www.santen.com).

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believe", "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as the factors we believe are appropriate. Forward-looking statements in this release include but are not limited to statements relating to: the implementation of our business model and strategic plans, the launch and potential market potential for Santen's therapeutic products in Canada and the next steps in connection therewith. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Aequus, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making the forward looking statements included in this release, the Company has made various material assumptions, including, but not limited to general business and economic conditions and the anticipated results of the Phase I clinical trial. In evaluating forward-looking statements, current and prospective shareholders should specifically consider various factors set out herein and under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Short-Form Prospectus dated June 30, 2015, a copy of which is available on Aequus' profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and as otherwise disclosed from time to time on Aequus' SEDAR profile. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, or a risk that is not currently known to us materialize, or should assumptions underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are inherently uncertain. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.