Exhibit 99.2

Avenue Therapeutics Announces Closing of $3.25 Million Registered Direct and Private Placement

MIAMI, Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avenue Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATXI) (“Avenue” or the “Company”), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the treatment of central nervous system diseases, today announced the closing of its previously announced registered direct offering and concurrent private placement with a single institutional accredited investor. The Company issued 1,940,299 shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants to acquire common stock in a registered direct offering. In a concurrent private placement, the company also issued to the same investor a total of 1,940,299 warrants to purchase up to one share of common stock each at an exercise price of $1.55 per share. The private placement warrants will be exercisable immediately subject to registration and will have a 3-year term from the initial exercise date. Aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of both transactions were approximately $3.25 million. The transactions closed on January 31, 2023.

The purchase price of each share was $1.55. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant was $1.549 with an exercise price of $0.001. The purchase price of each warrant was $0.125 with an exercise price of $1.55. The entire transaction was priced at the market under Nasdaq rules.

Avenue expects to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with its existing cash, for general corporate purposes and working capital.

Aegis Capital Corp. acted as Exclusive Placement Agent for the offering.

The registered direct offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-261520) previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and declared effective by the SEC on December 10, 2021. The final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering were filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov, and electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained by contacting Aegis Capital Corp., Attention: Syndicate Department, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 27th floor, New York, NY 10105, by email at syndicate@aegiscap.com, or by telephone at (212) 813-1010.

The offer and sale of the securities in the private placement are being made in a transaction not involving a public offering and have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities may not be reoffered or resold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws. The securities were offered only to accredited investors. Pursuant to a registration rights agreement with the investor, the Company has agreed to file one or more registration statements with the SEC covering the resale of the common stock and the shares issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants and warrants.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Avenue Therapeutics

Avenue Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATXI) is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. Avenue is headquartered in Miami, Florida and was founded by Fortress Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq: FBIO).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains predictive or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact contained in this press release, including statements that express our intentions, plans, objectives, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions or any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections made by management about our business, our industry and other conditions affecting our financial condition, results of operations or business prospects. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause such outcomes and results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties arising from: expectations for increases or decreases in expenses; expectations for the clinical and pre-clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory approval, and commercialization of our pharmaceutical product candidate or any other products we may acquire or in-license; our use of clinical research centers and other contractors; expectations for incurring capital expenditures to expand our research and development and manufacturing capabilities; expectations for generating revenue or becoming profitable on a sustained basis; expectations or ability to enter into marketing and other partnership agreements; expectations or ability to enter into product acquisition and in-licensing transactions; expectations or ability to build our own commercial infrastructure to manufacture, market and sell our product candidate; acceptance of our products by doctors, patients or payors; our ability to compete against other companies and research institutions; our ability to secure adequate protection for our intellectual property; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; availability of reimbursement for our products; estimates of the sufficiency of our existing cash and cash equivalents and investments to finance our operating requirements, including expectations regarding the value and liquidity of our investments; the volatility of our stock price; expected losses expectations for future capital requirements; uncertainty around the integration of the Baergic Bio acquisition; and those risks discussed in our filings which we make with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release, except as required by applicable law. Investors should evaluate any statements made by us in light of these important factors.

Contact:

Jaclyn Jaffe

Avenue Therapeutics, Inc.

(781) 652-4500

ir@avenuetx.com