WEST DES MOINES, IA--(NewMediaWire - Jan 28, 2016) -  Spotlight Innovation Inc. (OTCQB: STLT) has retained noted French oncologist David Khayat, MD, PhD, FASCO, as the Principal Investigator for a European Phase I dose escalation safety study, Crotoxin in Patients with Advanced Cancer using an Intravenous Route of Administration. The clinical study will be conducted at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. 

Crotoxin is one of a number of proprietary compounds, owned by Spotlight Innovation, derived from snake venom. These compounds possess specific anti-cancer and analgesic properties which apply to a broad spectrum of treatments for solid cancerous tumors and pain management. Of particular significance, these compounds create minimal side effects.

Prof. Khayat heads the Department of Medical Oncology at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital and is a Board Member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). In 2003, Prof. Khayat was appointed by then French President Jacques Chirac to lead the formation and development of the French National Cancer Control Plan. Prof. Khayat also served as President of the French National Cancer Institute from 2004 to 2006. He was the first President of the French Federation of Medical Oncologists, has received numerous awards including the National Order of Merit and the ASCO Distinguished Achievement Award, and is a co-founder of World Cancer Day.

Paul Reid, PhD, Spotlight Innovation's Director of Product Development, said, "We are delighted to have a clinician with Prof. Khayat's credentials and experience directing our study. His guidance, as a key opinion leader in the oncology space, is greatly welcomed."

"It is an honor and a privilege to have Prof. Khayat as the Principal Investigator for our clinical study," said Cris Grunewald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spotlight Innovation. "We look forward to continuing the clinical advancement of Crotoxin under his direction."

About Spotlight Innovation Inc.

Spotlight Innovation Inc. (OTCQB: STLT) identifies and acquires rights to innovative and proprietary platform technology candidates with a focus on cancer drugs and related treatment therapies, solutions for infectious disease, and other specialty and unique opportunities. Access to platform technology candidates is accomplished via our extensive relationships with many leading academic institutions and other sources. We provide value-added development capability and funding in order to accelerate development progress. When commercially significant benchmarks have been achieved, we will partner with proven market leaders via sale, out-license or strategic alliance. For more information, visit www.spotlightinnovation.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/spotlightinno.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements herein include statements regarding the Company's efforts to develop and commercialize its various technologies. Actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as the inability to finance the planned development of the technologies, the inability to hire appropriate staff to develop the technologies, unforeseen technical difficulties in developing the technologies, the inability to obtain regulatory approval for human use, competitors' therapies proving to be more effective, cheaper or otherwise more preferable, the inability to market a product, all of which could, among other things, delay or prevent product release, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in Spotlight Innovation's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with Spotlight Innovation's periodic filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release and Spotlight Innovation undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.