Exhibit 99.1

Ensysce Biosciences Appoints Industry Veteran Lee Rauch to Board of Directors

SAN DIEGO, February 8, 2022 — Ensysce Biosciences, Inc. (“Ensysce” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ENSC, OTC: ENSCW), a clinical-stage biotech company applying transformative chemistry to improve prescription drug safety and performance with a focus on reducing abuse and overdose while providing relief for those with severe pain, today announced that Lee Rauch has been appointed to the Company’s board of directors.

Ms. Rauch, an experienced Chief Executive Officer and Strategy Advisor, has served both public and private companies. During her near 40-year career, Ms. Rauch successful built companies ranging in focus from pre-clinical research to advanced clinical development, took the lead in mergers and acquisitions and used her experience to secure financing for public and private biotech companies. Among her many leadership roles, Ms. Rauch, was notably a founding member of McKinsey & Co.’s International Pharmaceutical Practice and the Executive Chairman of Springboard Enterprises Health Innovation Hub. Most recently, Ms. Rauch, served as President and CEO of Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. Ms. Rauch received a B.S. in Chemistry from Arizona State University and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Bob Gower, Chairman of the Board of Ensysce Biosciences, commented, “We are thrilled to have Lee on our board of directors. Her success and impressive tenure make her a natural fit for Ensysce and our mission of bringing our lead ‘next generation’ opioid to market while helping those in severe pain.”

Ms. Rauch, added, “I am excited for the opportunity to join the outstanding leadership team at Ensysce as the Company enters 2022 with significant progress across the clinical stage pipeline. I look forward to leveraging my direct expertise in advanced clinical development as the Company forges ahead, meeting significant milestones in the development of its two novel platforms.”

About Ensysce Biosciences

Ensysce Biosciences, based in San Diego, CA is a clinical-stage biotech company using its two novel proprietary technology platforms to develop safer prescription drugs. Leveraging its Trypsin-Activated Abuse Protection (TAAP) and Multi-Pill Abuse Resistance (MPAR^TM) platforms, the Company is in the process of developing the next generation, tamper-proof opioids that prevent both drug abuse and overdoses. Ensysce’s products are anticipated to provide safer options to treat severe pain and assist in preventing deaths caused by opioid abuse, reducing the human and economic costs. The platforms are covered by an extensive worldwide intellectual property portfolio encompassing a wide array of prescription drug. For more information, please visit www.ensysce.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical may be deemed to be forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Without limiting the foregoing, the use of words such as “may,” “intends,” “can,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The product candidates discussed are in clinic and not approved and there can be no assurance that the clinical programs will be successful in demonstrating safety and/or efficacy, that Ensysce will not encounter problems or delays in clinical development, or that any product candidate will ever receive regulatory approval or be successfully commercialized. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by Ensysce’s management that, although Ensysce believes to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that Ensysce expected. In addition, Ensysce’s business is subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including among others, the initiation and conduct of preclinical studies and clinical trials; the timing and availability of data from preclinical studies and clinical trials; expectations for regulatory submissions and approvals; potential safety concerns related to, or efficacy of, Ensysce’s product candidates; the availability or commercial potential of product candidates; the ability of Ensysce to fund its continued operations, including its planned clinical trials; the dilutive effect of stock issuances from our fundraising; and Ensysce’s and its partners’ ability to perform under their license, collaboration and manufacturing arrangements. These statements are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties that are described in Ensysce’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, which are available, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Ensysce undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

Ensysce Biosciences Company Contact:

Lynn Kirkpatrick, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

(858) 263-4196

Ensysce Biosciences Investor Relations Contact:

Shannon Devine

MZ North America

Main: 203-741-8811

ENSC@mzgroup.us

Source: Ensysce Biosciences Inc.