Æterna Zentaris, Inc.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COSCIENS Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCI) (TSX: CSCI) (“COSCIENS” or the “Company”), a specialty biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing a diversified portfolio of cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products, today announced the resignation of Carolyn Egbert from the Board of Directors, effective immediately. “We are extremely grateful to Carolyn for her twelve years of dedicated service to the Company as a member of the Board of Directors, including serving eight years as Chair. Throughout her tenure as a board member of Aeterna Zentaris, now CONSCIENS, she provided valuable contributions and insight,” said Chair of the Board, Ronald Miller. “With Carolyn’s decision to resign from the Board and as the Company continues to evolve at various levels, we have made the strategic decision to streamline our board structure and move forward with six members, including five independent directors which we believe more closely aligns with the industry standard for a Company at our stage.” About COSCIENS Biopharma Inc. COSCIENS is a specialty biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products, including those focused on areas of significant unmet medical need. One of COSCIENS' lead products is macimorelin (Macrilen®; Ghryvelin®), the first and only U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency approved oral test indicated for the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency (“AGHD”). COSCIENS is also engaged in the development of therapeutic assets and proprietary extraction technology, which is applied to the production of active ingredients from renewable plant resources currently used in cosmeceutical products (i.e., oat beta glucan and avenanthramides which are found in leading skincare product brands like Aveeno and Burt's Bees formulations) and being developed as potential nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals. The company is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market and the Toronto Stock Exchange, and trades on both exchanges under the ticker symbol "CSCI". For more information, please visit COSCIENS' website at www.cosciensbio.com. Forward-Looking Statements The information in this news release has been prepared as of October 1, 2024. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and "forward-looking information" under the provisions of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address circumstances, events, activities, or developments that could or may or will occur are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as "anticipate", "assume", "believe", "could", "expect", "forecast", "future", "goal", "guidance", "intend", "likely", "may", "would" or the negative or comparable terminology as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements include such words. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, operational and other risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors, including those described below, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the combined Company to be materially different from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and, as such, undue reliance must not be placed on them. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which include, among others: the combined Company's present and future business strategies; operations and performance within expected ranges; anticipated future cash flows; local and global economic conditions and the environment in which the combined Company operates; anticipated capital and operating costs; uncertainty in our revenue generation from our marketed products, product development and related clinical trials and validation studies; results from our products under development may not be successful or may not support advancing the product; the failure of the DETECT-trial to achieve its primary endpoint in Childhood Growth Hormone Deficiency may impact the market for macimorelin (Macrilen®; Ghryvelin®) in AGHD and the existing relationships we have for that product; ability to raise capital and obtain financing to continue our currently planned operations; our now heavy dependence on sales by and revenue from our main distributor of our legacy Ceapro products and its customers, the continued availability of funds and resources to successfully commercialize our products; the ability to secure strategic partners for late stage development, marketing, and distribution of our products; our ability to enter into out-licensing, development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution agreements with other pharmaceutical companies and keep such agreements in effect; our ability to protect and enforce our patent portfolio and intellectual property; and our ability to continue to list our common shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Investors should consult our quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F and MD&A filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. We disclaim any obligation to update any such risks or uncertainties or to publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, unless required to do so by a governmental authority or applicable law. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Toronto Stock Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Issuer:Gilles R. GagnonPresident & CEOggagnon@ceapro.com+1 (780) 421-4555 Investor Contact:Jenene ThomasJTC TeamT (US): +1 (908) 824-0775E: csci@jtcir.com

Data from pivotal DETECT-Trial evaluating macimorelin for the diagnosis of childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency expected in Q3 2024 Company ended the quarter with US$27.8 million in cash TORONTO, ONTARIO, Aug. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COSCIENS Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCI) (TSX: CSCI) (“COSCIENS” or the “Company”), a specialty biopharmaceutical company which develops and commercializes a diversified portfolio of cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products, today reported its financial and operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and provided a corporate update. “We are very pleased with the ongoing post-merger integration process and expect to be providing a fulsome update shortly. The newly combined management team is currently completing our detailed work to identify synergies and cost reduction opportunities as we review and prioritize our now combined portfolio of programs and products. In that review, our goal remains to focus our resources and cash on those programs and products that we believe will allow us to propel the Company into its next phase of growth as a diversified biopharmaceutical company. We are also excited that we remain on track to obtain and announce in Q’3 2024 top-line data from our recently completed Phase 3 safety and efficacy study AEZS-130-P02 (the "DETECT-trial") evaluating macimorelin for the diagnosis of Childhood Onset Growth Hormone Deficiency (“CGHD”),” stated Gilles Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA, President and CEO of COSCIENS. Summary of Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results All amounts are in U.S. dollars. Cash and cash equivalents The Company had $27.8 million in cash and cash equivalents at June 30, 2024. Results of operations for the three-month period ended June 30, 2024 For the three-month period ended June 30, 2024, we reported a net loss of $1.4 million, or $0.64 loss per common share, as compared with a net loss of $0.9 million, or $0.47 loss per common share for the three-month period ended June 30, 2023. The $0.5 million increase in net loss is primarily due to increases in both research and development costs of $0.8 million and selling, general and administrative costs of $1.8 million offset by an increase in other income of $1.9 million and an increase in income tax recovery of $0.2 million. Revenues Our total revenue for the three-month period ended June 30, 2024 was $2.3 million as compared with $1.4 million for the same period in 2023. This increase of $0.9 million was due to higher sales of Avenanthramides, Oat Beta Glucan and Oat Oil in the quarter. Operating Expenses Our total operating expenses for the three-month period ended June 30, 2024, was $4.5 million as compared with $1.9 million for the same period in 2023. This increase of $2.6 million was due to higher research and development costs associated with the Avenanthramides and DETECT clinical trials of $0.8 million and selling, general and administrative costs of $1.8 million due primarily to the acquisition transaction recently completed between Aeterna and Ceapro. Results of operations for the six-month period ended June 30, 2024 For the six-month period ended June 30, 2024, we reported a consolidated net loss of $2.8 million, or $1.39 loss per common share, as compared with a consolidated net loss of $1.1 million, or $0.62 loss per common share for the same period in 2023. The $1.7 million increase in net loss is primarily due to increases in research and development costs of $1.5 million and selling, general and administrative costs of $2.4 million offset by an increase in other income of $1.9 million and a decrease in gross margin of $0.3 million. Revenues Our total revenue for the six-month period ended June 30, 2024 was $4.4 million as compared to $4.0 million for the same period in 2023. This increase of $0.4 million was due to higher sales of Avenanthramides, Oat Beta Glucan and Oat Oil in the quarter. Operating Expenses Our total operating expenses for the six-month period ended June 30, 2024, was $7.4 million as compared with $3.5 million for the same period in 2023, representing an increase of $3.9 million. This increase was due to higher research and development costs associated with the Avenanthramides and DETECT clinical trials of $1.5 million and selling, general and administrative costs of $2.4 million due primarily to the acquisition transaction recently completed between Aeterna and Ceapro. Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis For reference, the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the second quarter 2024, as well as the Company's consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2024, will be available on the Company's website (www.cosciensbio.com) in the Investors section or at the Company's SEDAR+ and EDGAR profiles at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively. About COSCIENS Biopharma Inc.COSCIENS is a specialty biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products, including those focused on areas of significant unmet medical need. One of COSCIENS’ lead products is macimorelin (Macrilen; Ghryvelin), the first and only U.S. FDA and European Commission approved oral test indicated for the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). COSCIENS is also engaged in the development of therapeutic assets and proprietary extraction technology, which is applied to the production of active ingredients from renewable plant resources currently used in cosmeceutical products (i.e., oat beta glucan and Avenanthramides which are found in leading skincare product brands like Aveeno and Burt’s Bees formulations) and being developed as potential nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals. The Company is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market and the Toronto Stock Exchange, and trades on both exchanges under the ticker symbol “CSCI”. For more information, please visit COSCIENS website at www.cosciensbio.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and "forward-looking information" under the provisions of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address circumstances, events, activities, or developments that could or may or will occur are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as "anticipate", "assume", "believe", "could", "expect", "forecast", "future", "goal", "guidance", "intend", "likely", "may", "would" or the negative or comparable terminology as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements include such words. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: our statements and expectations regarding the ongoing integration efforts and plans to identify synergies and cost reductions, and the timing of top-line data from the DETECT-trial. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, operational and other risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors, including those described below, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the combined Company to be materially different from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and, as such, undue reliance must not be placed on them. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which include, among others: the combined Company’s present and future business strategies; operations and performance within expected ranges; anticipated future cash flows; local and global economic conditions and the environment in which the combined Company operates; anticipated capital and operating costs; uncertainty in our revenue generation from our marketed products, product development and related clinical trials and validation studies, including our reliance on the success of the DETECT-trial for Macrilen™ (macimorelin); results from our other products under development may not be successful or may not support advancing the product; our ability to raise capital and obtain financing to continue our currently planned operations; our now heavy dependence on sales by and revenue from our main distributor of our legacy Ceapro products (including AVA and OBG) and its customers, the continued availability of funds and resources to successfully commercialize the product; the ability to secure strategic partners for late stage development, marketing, and distribution of our products, including our ability to enter into a new license agreement or similar arrangement following the termination of the license agreement with Novo Nordisk AG for rights to Macrilen™ in North America; our ability to enter into out-licensing, development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution agreements with other pharmaceutical companies and keep such agreements in effect; our ability to protect and enforce our patent portfolio and intellectual property; and our ability to continue to list our common shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Investors should consult our quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F and MD&A filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. We disclaim any obligation to update any such risks or uncertainties or to publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, unless required to do so by a governmental authority or applicable law. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Toronto Stock Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Issuer: Gilles R. GagnonPresident & CEOggagnon@cosciensbio.com+1 (780) 421-4555 Investor Contact:Jenene ThomasJTC TeamT (US): +1 (833) 475-8247E: jenene@jtcir.com

Aeterna become mortal with COSCIENS rebrand. From sounding like a companion of Thor speciality biopharma Aeterna Zentaris is no more: Meet COSCIENS Biopharma.This naming rebrand comes amid some big changes for the biotech and diagnostics company. Just two months ago, then Aeterna completed an all-stock merger with botanical biotech Ceapro, a fellow Canadian native, as it looked to change lanes after some big changes in its projects.Last January, the company shelved its earlier stage vaccine and COVID work, which itself came off the back of Novo Nordisk in 2022 cutting ties with Aeterna on the development and commercialization license agreement for Macrilen (macimorelin), an oral test indicated for the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD).The company retains rights to (Macrilen, which is approved in the EU and U.S. for the diagnosis of AGHD. The newly merged company will continue working on the development of that test alongside Ceapro’s pipeline of botanical research products, including oat beta glucan and avenanthramides.With the name change, COSCIENS will begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq under the symbol “CSCI” and cast off its former “AEZS” ticker.The reason for the name change was not given though it is likely a play on co-science, i.e., doing science together.