{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"157370","rtpr_id":"nGNX3LrQMt-20260930","ticker":"DRUG","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["DRUG"],"title":"Bright Minds Biosciences to Participate in the 2026 FPWR Research Symposium and PWS Family Conference","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-09-30T21:30:00.115Z","article_body":"NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Minds Biosciences Inc.\n(CSE: DRUG) (NASDAQ: DRUG) (“Bright Minds” or the “Company”), a\nclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing highly selective\n5-HT2 agonists for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, Prader-Willi\nSyndrome, depression, and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today\nannounced that it will participate in the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research\n(FPWR) 2026 Research Symposium, October 7-8, and the PWS Family Conference,\nOctober 9-10, at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown.\n\nThe FPWR meeting brings together families, caregivers, clinicians,\nresearchers, and industry to share the latest in PWS research and care. Bright\nMinds' participation reflects the Company's commitment to developing a therapy\nthat addresses both hyperphagia and the neurobehavioral symptoms of PWS, and\nto keeping the PWS community closely involved as its clinical program\nadvances.\n\n\"There is no therapy today that adequately addresses the full burden of\nPrader-Willi Syndrome: the relentless hunger and the behavioral and\npsychiatric challenges that families live with every day,\" said Ian McDonald,\nChief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Bright Minds Biosciences. \"The FPWR\ncommunity has shaped how we think about this disease, from the outcome\nmeasures we use to the way we design our studies. We are proud to support this\nyear's meeting and to spend time with the families and researchers who are\ndriving progress in PWS. Our NOVA study of BMB-101 is under way. We believe\nselective 5-HT2C agonism has the potential to address the underlying biology\nof PWS rather than a single symptom.\"\n\nBright Minds' PWS Program\n\nIndividuals with PWS have reduced levels of functional 5-HT2C receptors, which\nare central regulators of appetite, satiety, and behavior. Bright Minds is\ndeveloping highly selective, Gq-biased 5-HT2C agonists designed to restore\nsignaling through this pathway while avoiding the receptor desensitization and\n5-HT2B-related cardiac liabilities that limited earlier serotonergic agents.\n\nBMB-101 is being evaluated in NOVA, a randomized, double-blind,\nplacebo-controlled Phase 2a study assessing the effect of BMB-101 on\nhyperphagia (primary endpoint: change from baseline in the Hyperphagia\nQuestionnaire for Clinical Trials, HQ-CT), PWS-associated behaviors, and\nsafety and tolerability over a 16-week treatment period, with an optional\nopen-label extension.\n\nIn November 2025, the Company expanded its Scientific Advisory Board with four\nglobal PWS experts, including Theresa V. Strong, PhD, a founding member of\nFPWR and its Director of Research Programs; Jennifer L. Miller, MD, University\nof Florida; Elizabeth Roof, H.S.P., M.A., Vanderbilt University; and Tania\nMarkovic, MBBS PhD FRACP, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.\n\nAbout Prader-Willi Syndrome\n\nPrader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder\nresulting from abnormal gene expression on chromosome 15, affecting\napproximately one in every 15,000 live births. The hallmark feature of PWS is\nhyperphagia, a chronic, life-threatening condition marked by an unrelenting\nfeeling of hunger, obsessive thoughts about food, and a lack of normal\nsatiety. Hyperphagia is associated with serious health risks, including\nchoking, stomach rupture, and accidental death related to food-seeking, as\nwell as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Individuals with\nPWS also experience significant neurobehavioral challenges, including\nemotional dysregulation, compulsivity, temper outbursts, and cognitive\nimpairment. Currently available therapies address hyperphagia only; there are\nno approved treatments for the neurobehavioral symptoms of PWS.\n\nCorporate Update\n\nThe Company also announces that it has entered into a mutual rescission and\nrelease agreement with an officer of the Company rescinding the officer's\nprior exercise of stock options in respect of 44,500 common shares. The 44,500\nshares issued on that exercise will be returned to treasury and cancelled, the\naggregate exercise price will be refunded to the officer, and the options are\nrestored on their original terms, including exercise price, vesting schedule\nand expiry date, under the Company's share option plan. No other options are\naffected.\n\nAbout Bright Minds Biosciences\n\nBright Minds is a biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for\npatients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Our pipeline includes\nnovel compounds targeting key receptors in the brain to address conditions\nwith high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, Prader-Willi Syndrome,\ndepression, and other CNS disorders. Bright Minds is focused on delivering\nbreakthrough therapies that can transform patients' lives.\n\nBright Minds has developed a unique platform of highly selective serotonergic\nagonists exhibiting selectivity at different serotonergic receptors. This has\nprovided a rich portfolio of NCE programs within neurology and psychiatry.\n\nContact Information\n\nInvestor Relations\nLisa M. Wilson\nT: 212-452-2793\nE: lwilson@insitecony.com\n\nAlex Vasilkevich\nChief Operating Officer\nBright Minds Biosciences Inc.\nT: 414-731-6422\nE: alex@brightmindsbio.com\nWebsite: www.brightmindsbio.com\n\nForward Looking Information\n\nThis news release contains \"forward-looking information\". Often, but not\nalways, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such\nas \"plans\", \"expects\", \"is expected\", \"budget\", \"scheduled\", \"estimates\",\n\"forecasts\", \"intends\", \"anticipates\", or \"believes\" or variations (including\nnegative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions,\nevents or results \"may\", \"could\", \"would\", \"might\" or \"will\" be taken, occur\nor be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release include,\nwithout limitation, statements related to the Company's participation in the\nFPWR Research Symposium and PWS Family Conference, the Company's goal of\ndeveloping a therapy that addresses both hyperphagia and the neurobehavioral\nsymptoms of PWS, the expected design characteristics of the Company's drug\ncandidates, the conduct, enrolment, design, timeline, endpoints and results of\nthe NOVA study, the potential of selective 5-HT2C agonism to address the\nunderlying biology of PWS, the Company's broader pipeline development\nobjectives and its ability to deliver breakthrough therapies that can\ntransform patients' lives, and the completion of the return and cancellation\nof the 44,500 common shares and the refund of the exercise price described\nunder “Corporate Update”. Such statements represent the Company's current\nviews with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of\nassumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company,\nare inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive,\npolitical and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors,\nboth known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to\nbe materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are\nor may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional\nrisk factors can also be found in the Company's public filings under the\nCompany's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements\ncontained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company\ndisclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as\na result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can\nbe no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as\nactual results and future events could differ materially from those\nanticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update\nforward-looking statements if circumstances, management's estimates or\nopinions should change, except as required by securities legislation.\nAccordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on\nforward-looking statements.\n\nThe Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the\ninformation contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the\nadequacy or accuracy of this news release.\n\nThe securities of the Company referred to in this news release have not been\nand will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as\namended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws.\nAccordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within\nthe United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and\napplicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the\nregistration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state\nsecurities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a\nsolicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any\njurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e60bafec-185f-450a-95c9-34f79846184d)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX3LrQMt-20260930","title":"Bright Minds Biosciences to Participate in the 2026 FPWR Research Symposium and PWS Family Conference","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"DRUG","created":"2026-09-30T21:30:00.115Z","tickers":["DRUG"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Minds Biosciences Inc.\n(CSE: DRUG) (NASDAQ: DRUG) (“Bright Minds” or the “Company”), a\nclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing highly selective\n5-HT2 agonists for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, Prader-Willi\nSyndrome, depression, and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today\nannounced that it will participate in the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research\n(FPWR) 2026 Research Symposium, October 7-8, and the PWS Family Conference,\nOctober 9-10, at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown.\n\nThe FPWR meeting brings together families, caregivers, clinicians,\nresearchers, and industry to share the latest in PWS research and care. Bright\nMinds' participation reflects the Company's commitment to developing a therapy\nthat addresses both hyperphagia and the neurobehavioral symptoms of PWS, and\nto keeping the PWS community closely involved as its clinical program\nadvances.\n\n\"There is no therapy today that adequately addresses the full burden of\nPrader-Willi Syndrome: the relentless hunger and the behavioral and\npsychiatric challenges that families live with every day,\" said Ian McDonald,\nChief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Bright Minds Biosciences. \"The FPWR\ncommunity has shaped how we think about this disease, from the outcome\nmeasures we use to the way we design our studies. We are proud to support this\nyear's meeting and to spend time with the families and researchers who are\ndriving progress in PWS. Our NOVA study of BMB-101 is under way. We believe\nselective 5-HT2C agonism has the potential to address the underlying biology\nof PWS rather than a single symptom.\"\n\nBright Minds' PWS Program\n\nIndividuals with PWS have reduced levels of functional 5-HT2C receptors, which\nare central regulators of appetite, satiety, and behavior. Bright Minds is\ndeveloping highly selective, Gq-biased 5-HT2C agonists designed to restore\nsignaling through this pathway while avoiding the receptor desensitization and\n5-HT2B-related cardiac liabilities that limited earlier serotonergic agents.\n\nBMB-101 is being evaluated in NOVA, a randomized, double-blind,\nplacebo-controlled Phase 2a study assessing the effect of BMB-101 on\nhyperphagia (primary endpoint: change from baseline in the Hyperphagia\nQuestionnaire for Clinical Trials, HQ-CT), PWS-associated behaviors, and\nsafety and tolerability over a 16-week treatment period, with an optional\nopen-label extension.\n\nIn November 2025, the Company expanded its Scientific Advisory Board with four\nglobal PWS experts, including Theresa V. Strong, PhD, a founding member of\nFPWR and its Director of Research Programs; Jennifer L. Miller, MD, University\nof Florida; Elizabeth Roof, H.S.P., M.A., Vanderbilt University; and Tania\nMarkovic, MBBS PhD FRACP, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.\n\nAbout Prader-Willi Syndrome\n\nPrader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder\nresulting from abnormal gene expression on chromosome 15, affecting\napproximately one in every 15,000 live births. The hallmark feature of PWS is\nhyperphagia, a chronic, life-threatening condition marked by an unrelenting\nfeeling of hunger, obsessive thoughts about food, and a lack of normal\nsatiety. Hyperphagia is associated with serious health risks, including\nchoking, stomach rupture, and accidental death related to food-seeking, as\nwell as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Individuals with\nPWS also experience significant neurobehavioral challenges, including\nemotional dysregulation, compulsivity, temper outbursts, and cognitive\nimpairment. Currently available therapies address hyperphagia only; there are\nno approved treatments for the neurobehavioral symptoms of PWS.\n\nCorporate Update\n\nThe Company also announces that it has entered into a mutual rescission and\nrelease agreement with an officer of the Company rescinding the officer's\nprior exercise of stock options in respect of 44,500 common shares. The 44,500\nshares issued on that exercise will be returned to treasury and cancelled, the\naggregate exercise price will be refunded to the officer, and the options are\nrestored on their original terms, including exercise price, vesting schedule\nand expiry date, under the Company's share option plan. No other options are\naffected.\n\nAbout Bright Minds Biosciences\n\nBright Minds is a biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for\npatients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Our pipeline includes\nnovel compounds targeting key receptors in the brain to address conditions\nwith high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, Prader-Willi Syndrome,\ndepression, and other CNS disorders. Bright Minds is focused on delivering\nbreakthrough therapies that can transform patients' lives.\n\nBright Minds has developed a unique platform of highly selective serotonergic\nagonists exhibiting selectivity at different serotonergic receptors. This has\nprovided a rich portfolio of NCE programs within neurology and psychiatry.\n\nContact Information\n\nInvestor Relations\nLisa M. Wilson\nT: 212-452-2793\nE: lwilson@insitecony.com\n\nAlex Vasilkevich\nChief Operating Officer\nBright Minds Biosciences Inc.\nT: 414-731-6422\nE: alex@brightmindsbio.com\nWebsite: www.brightmindsbio.com\n\nForward Looking Information\n\nThis news release contains \"forward-looking information\". Often, but not\nalways, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such\nas \"plans\", \"expects\", \"is expected\", \"budget\", \"scheduled\", \"estimates\",\n\"forecasts\", \"intends\", \"anticipates\", or \"believes\" or variations (including\nnegative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions,\nevents or results \"may\", \"could\", \"would\", \"might\" or \"will\" be taken, occur\nor be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release include,\nwithout limitation, statements related to the Company's participation in the\nFPWR Research Symposium and PWS Family Conference, the Company's goal of\ndeveloping a therapy that addresses both hyperphagia and the neurobehavioral\nsymptoms of PWS, the expected design characteristics of the Company's drug\ncandidates, the conduct, enrolment, design, timeline, endpoints and results of\nthe NOVA study, the potential of selective 5-HT2C agonism to address the\nunderlying biology of PWS, the Company's broader pipeline development\nobjectives and its ability to deliver breakthrough therapies that can\ntransform patients' lives, and the completion of the return and cancellation\nof the 44,500 common shares and the refund of the exercise price described\nunder “Corporate Update”. Such statements represent the Company's current\nviews with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of\nassumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company,\nare inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive,\npolitical and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors,\nboth known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to\nbe materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are\nor may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional\nrisk factors can also be found in the Company's public filings under the\nCompany's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements\ncontained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company\ndisclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as\na result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can\nbe no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as\nactual results and future events could differ materially from those\nanticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update\nforward-looking statements if circumstances, management's estimates or\nopinions should change, except as required by securities legislation.\nAccordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on\nforward-looking statements.\n\nThe Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the\ninformation contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the\nadequacy or accuracy of this news release.\n\nThe securities of the Company referred to in this news release have not been\nand will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as\namended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws.\nAccordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within\nthe United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and\napplicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the\nregistration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state\nsecurities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a\nsolicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any\njurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e60bafec-185f-450a-95c9-34f79846184d)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-09-30T21:30:00.150182868Z","server_sent_at_ms":1790803800150},"received_at":"2026-09-30T21:30:00.278Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"146038","press_release_id":"157370","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":["rescission of an officer's option exercise may indicate administrative or compliance housekeeping worth monitoring"],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Bright Minds Biosciences will attend the FPWR 2026 Research Symposium (Oct 7-8) and PWS Family Conference (Oct 9-10) in Philadelphia, reinforcing its Prader-Willi Syndrome focus.\n\nIts lead asset BMB-101 is in the NOVA Phase 2a trial, a 16-week randomized, placebo-controlled study of hyperphagia, PWS behaviors, and safety.\n\nSeparately, the company rescinded an officer's exercise of options on 44,500 shares; those shares will be cancelled and the options restored on original terms — an immaterial housekeeping item.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Routine conference participation and minor option rescission — no catalyst; watch NOVA Phase 2a data instead."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"nova_phase":"Phase 2a","shares_rescinded":44500,"nova_treatment_weeks":16}},"quotedText":"There is no therapy today that adequately addresses the full burden of Prader-Willi Syndrome: the relentless hunger and the behavioral and psychiatric challenges that families live with every day","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Ian McDonald","role":"CEO and Co-founder"},{"name":"Theresa V. Strong, PhD","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member; FPWR Director of Research Programs"},{"name":"Jennifer L. Miller, MD","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, University of Florida"},{"name":"Elizabeth Roof, H.S.P., M.A.","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, Vanderbilt University"},{"name":"Tania Markovic, MBBS PhD FRACP","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney"},{"name":"Lisa M. Wilson","role":"Investor Relations"},{"name":"Alex Vasilkevich","role":"Chief Operating Officer"}],"products":["BMB-101","NOVA study"],"companies":[{"name":"Bright Minds Biosciences Inc.","ticker":"DRUG","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR)","relationship":"conference organizer"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"Conference participation is routine IR activity with no new data; the only corporate item is a trivial rescission of a 44,500-share option exercise. No clinical, financial, or regulatory catalyst."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"DRUG"},"globalImportance":8,"audienceRelevance":10,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"noNewData":true,"tickerTier":"micro-cap-clinical-stage","eventGravity":"conference-participation-plus-minor-governance"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":1,"narrative":"Bright Minds Biosciences will attend the FPWR 2026 Research Symposium (Oct 7-8) and PWS Family Conference (Oct 9-10) in Philadelphia, reinforcing its Prader-Willi Syndrome focus.\n\nIts lead asset BMB-101 is in the NOVA Phase 2a trial, a 16-week randomized, placebo-controlled study of hyperphagia, PWS behaviors, and safety.\n\nSeparately, the company rescinded an officer's exercise of options on 44,500 shares; those shares will be cancelled and the options restored on original terms — an immaterial housekeeping item.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"nova_phase":"Phase 2a","shares_rescinded":44500,"nova_treatment_weeks":16}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Ian McDonald","role":"CEO and Co-founder"},{"name":"Theresa V. Strong, PhD","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member; FPWR Director of Research Programs"},{"name":"Jennifer L. Miller, MD","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, University of Florida"},{"name":"Elizabeth Roof, H.S.P., M.A.","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, Vanderbilt University"},{"name":"Tania Markovic, MBBS PhD FRACP","role":"Scientific Advisory Board member, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney"},{"name":"Lisa M. Wilson","role":"Investor Relations"},{"name":"Alex Vasilkevich","role":"Chief Operating Officer"}],"products":["BMB-101","NOVA study"],"companies":[{"name":"Bright Minds Biosciences Inc.","ticker":"DRUG","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR)","relationship":"conference organizer"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-09-30T21:30:05.252Z","global_importance":8,"audience_relevance":10,"importance_components":{"noNewData":true,"tickerTier":"micro-cap-clinical-stage","eventGravity":"conference-participation-plus-minor-governance"}},"durationMs":4959,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}