BIVN Bioenvision (MM)

Bioenvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIVN) Bioenvision today announced its abstract on Suvus(TM) has been accepted for the British Association for the Study of the Liver's 2006 Annual Meeting in Dublin. The meeting on September 7-8th at Trinity College provides Bioenvision the first opportunity to present data from a Phase II study of Suvus(TM) in chronic hepatitis C and refractory hepatitis C. "We are excited to be sharing our promising results with hundreds of doctors and nurses at this prestigious international meeting," said Dr. Christopher Wood, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bioenvision. "Hepatitis C has been compared to a 'viral time bomb' and we are excited that Suvus(TM) may be a potential treatment option for millions of people infected around the world." Suvus(TM) showed clear evidence of activity and significantly reduced the viral load in chronic hepatitis C patients, many who have cirrhosis of the liver. The study was done in Egypt, a country with one of the highest prevalence rates of hepatitis C in the world with an estimated 7-8 million Egyptians infected with hepatitis C. "The data from this Phase II study forms the basis for our regulatory filing in Egypt," said David Luci, Bioenvision's General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer. "We have initiated the filing process and are in discussions with Egyptian regulatory authorities." Besides Suvus(TM) showing efficacy in hepatitis C, studies have also shown Suvus(TM) offers an indication of activity in the West Nile Virus and flu strain H5N1, otherwise known as the "avian flu." "We plan to initiate further clinical and preclinical trials of Suvus(TM) on the basis of this encouraging data," said Hugh Griffith, Bioenvision's Chief Operating Officer. About Bioenvision Bioenvision's primary focus is the acquisition, development, distribution and marketing of compounds and technologies for the treatment of cancer. Bioenvision has a broad pipeline of products for the treatment of cancer, including: Evoltra(R), Modrenal(R) (for which Bioenvision has obtained regulatory approval for marketing in the United Kingdom for the treatment of post-menopausal breast cancer following relapse to initial hormone therapy), and other products. Bioenvision is also developing anti-infective technologies, including the OLIGON(R) technology; an advanced biomaterial that has been incorporated into various FDA approved medical devices and Suvus(TM), an antimicrobial agent currently in clinical development for refractory chronic hepatitis C infection. For more information on Bioenvision please visit our Web site at www.bioenvision.com. Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking" statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because these statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Specifically, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general and in Bioenvision's compounds under development in particular; the potential failure of Bioenvision's compounds under development to prove safe and effective for treatment of disease; uncertainties inherent in the early stage of Bioenvision's compounds under development; failure to successfully implement or complete clinical trials; failure to receive marketing clearance from regulatory agencies for our compounds under development; acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, licenses or strategic initiatives that change Bioenvision's business, structure or projections; the development of competing products; uncertainties related to Bioenvision's dependence on third parties and partners; and those risks described in Bioenvision's filings with the SEC. Bioenvision disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.