ANX Mast Therapeutics, Inc.

SAN DIEGO, March 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX:ANX) announced today that it will present preclinical study results for its antiviral compound, Thiovir(TM), and its oncology compound, ANX-530 (vinorelbine emulsion) at upcoming scientific conferences: ADVENTRX will present "Synergistic antiviral activity and additive cytotoxicity of Thiovir combined with zidovudine" at the HIV Pathogenesis Meeting, in Keystone, Colorado on Friday March 31 at 7:30 p.m. MST. The poster will be presented by Shani Waninger, Ph.D., associate director of research and development for ADVENTRX. The conference takes place March 27 - April 2, 2006. Thiovir is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor designed for oral delivery as a component of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV/AIDS. Thiovir is also being developed as a drug candidate for the H5N1 influenza strain known as bird flu. ADVENTRX will present "A novel emulsion formulation of vinorelbine attenuates venous toxicity while maintaining antitumor efficacy" at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 97th Annual Meeting 2006 on Wednesday, April 5 at 8:00 a.m. EST. The poster presentation will be delivered by Mark J. Cantwell, Ph.D., vice president of research and development. The conference takes place April 1 - 5 in Washington, DC. ANX-530 is a new formulation of vinorelbine tartrate that emulsifies the drug into a homogeneous suspension and is designed to protect the venous endothelium during administration, therefore reducing vein irritation caused by the drug. About Thiovir Thiovir is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor designed for oral delivery as a component of HAART for HIV/AIDS. Thiovir is a prodrug for foscarnet that delivers both the active drug TPFA (thiophosphonoformate) and the active metabolite PFA (foscarnet) in an oral formulation. Thiovir is intended to deliver the benefits of the drug foscarnet, including broad spectrum antiviral activity, with the added benefit of oral delivery. ADVENTRX currently plans to file an investigational new drug application (IND) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the first half of 2006 for a Phase I/II clinical trial using Thiovir in HIV/AIDS. The Company is also investigating Thiovir as a potential treatment for avian influenza. About ANX-530 ANX-530 is a novel emulsion formulation of vinorelbine tartrate. Vinorelbine is a chemotherapeutic agent indicated as a single agent or in combination with cisplatin for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Company plans to conduct a single bioequivalency study of ANX-530 as a marketing-enabling clinical trial, a plan that was recently affirmed by the FDA. The Company currently plans to file an IND application in the third quarter of 2006. The proposed clinical trial will compare the bioequivalency of ANX-530 with that of vinorelbine in patients with advanced solid tumors. In addition, the Company plans to collect comparative data on vein irritation and other safety parameters as secondary endpoints. About ADVENTRX ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical research and development company focused on introducing new technologies for anticancer and antiviral treatments that surpass the performance and safety of existing drugs, by addressing significant problems such as drug metabolism, toxicity, bioavailability and resistance. More information can be found on the Company's Web site at http://www.adventrx.com/. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding ADVENTRX. Such statements are made based on management's current expectations and beliefs. Actual results may vary from those currently anticipated based upon a number of factors, including uncertainties inherent in the drug development process, the timing and success of clinical trials, the validity of research results, and the receipt of necessary approvals from the FDA and other regulatory agencies. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements regarding ADVENTRX, see the section titled "Risk Factors" in ADVENTRX's last annual report on Form 10-K, as well as other reports that ADVENTRX files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements regarding ADVENTRX are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. ADVENTRX undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. DATASOURCE: ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Andrea Lynn of ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, +1-858-552-0866 Web site: http://www.adventrx.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/920134.html

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