NEW YORK, Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KERX) today announced that seven abstracts related to KRX-0401 (perifosine) have been selected for presentation during the poster sessions scheduled to take place at the upcoming American Society of Hematology (ASH) 48th Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida (December 9 - 12, 2006). Copies of these abstracts, which highlight the mechanism of action of KRX- 0401 (perifosine), as well as observed clinical and preclinical activity, are currently available and can be viewed on-line through the ASH website: http://www.hematology.org/meetings/abstracts.cfm. Selected abstracts include the following: Sunday, December 10th (9:00am): * 2416 (Board #594-II) Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Resistance to the Akt Inhibitor Perifosine in Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia, the Role of the ERK and PKC Pathways. Xavier Leleu, Hai Ngo, Xiaoying Jia, Anne- Sophie Moreau, Evdoxia Hatjiharisi, Ruben Carrasco, Garrett O'Sullivan, Judith Runnels, Yu-Tsu Tai, Steven Treon, Teru Hideshima, Kenneth Anderson, Irene Ghobrial * 2417 (Board #595-II) The PI3K/Akt Pathway Is an Important Regulator of Homing and Adhesion in Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia. Xavier Leleu, Hai Ngo, Judy Runnels, Costas Pitsillides, Joel Spencer, Anne-Sophie Moreau, Evdoxia Hatjiharisi, Xiaoying Jia, Garrett O'Sullivan, Steven Treon, Teru Hideshima, Charles Lin, Kenneth Anderson, Irene Ghobrial * 2488 (Board #666-II) Perifosine, an Oral Bioactive Novel Akt Inhibitor, Induces In Vitro and In Vivo Antitumor Activity in Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. Xavier Leleu, X. Jia, Anne-Sophie Moreau, Evdoxia Hatjiharisi, Hai Ngo, G. O'Sullivan, Daisy Moreno, Tanyel Kiziltepe, Enrique Ocio, Allen Ho, Thierry Facon, Steven Treon, Teru Hideshima, Kenneth Anderson, Irene Ghobrial * 2517 (Board #695-II) Novel Agent Perifosine Enhances Antitumor Activity of Bortezomib, Rituximab and Other Conventional Therapies in Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia. Xavier Leleu, G. O'Sullivan, X. Jia, Anne-Sophie Moreau, Hai Ngo, Evdoxia Hatjiharisi, Hiroshi Yasui, Zachary Hunter, Yu-Tsu Tai, Judith Runnels, Steven Treon, Teru Hideshima, Kenneth Anderson, Irene Ghobrial Monday, December 11th (10:30am): * 3410 (Board #639-III) Akt Inhibitor Perifosine-Induced Cytotoxicity Is Associated with Significant Downregulation of Survivin in Human Multiple Myeloma (MM) Cells. Teru Hideshima, Hiroshi Yasui, Laurence Catley, Noopur Raje, Dharminder Chauhan, Kenji Ishitsuka, Klaus Podar, Constantine Mitsiades, Yu-Tzu Tai, Sonia Vallet, Tanyel Kizitepe, Enrique Ocio, Hiroshi Ikeda, Yutaka Okawa, Hiromasa Hideshima, Nikhil C. Munshi, Paul G. Richardson, Kenneth C. Anderson * 3446 (Board #675-III) Perifosine Induces DR4/DR5 Expression Leading to Apoptosis That Can Be Enhanced with Exogenous TRAIL, and Blocked with Strategies Directed at DR4/DR5 Inhibition. Ebenezer David, Rajni Sinha, Jonathan L. Kaufman, Sagar Lonial * 3582 (Board #811-III) A Multicenter Phase II Study of Perifosine (KRX- 0401) Alone and in Combination with Dexamethasone (Dex) for Patients with Relapsed or Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (MM). Paul Richardson, S. Lonial, A. Jakubowiak, J. Wolf, A. Krishnan, J. Densmore, S. Singhal, I. Ghobrial, L. Schwartzberg, K. Colson, J. Harris, T. Kendall, B. Martineau, N. Obadike, K. Sullivan, S. Pearson, T. Hideshima, L. Lai, P. Sportelli, L. Gardner, R. Birch, I.C. Henderson, K.C. Anderson KRX-0401 (perifosine) is in-licensed by Keryx from Aeterna Zentaris, Inc. (TSX: AEZ; Nasdaq: AEZS), in the United States, Canada and Mexico. About KRX-0401 (Perifosine) KRX-0401 is a novel, first-in-class, oral anticancer agent that modulates AKT and a number of other key signal transduction pathways, including the MAPK and JNK pathways. It has demonstrated preliminary single agent anti-tumor activity and is currently in a phase II clinical program where it is being studied both as a single agent and in combination with other anti-cancer treatments for multiple forms of cancer. KRX-0401, or perifosine, is the prototype of a new group of anti-cancer drugs referred to as alkylphosphocholines that block proliferation and induce the apoptosis of cancer cells. This effect is relatively specific for cancer cells compared to normal cells. The mechanism of action for these drugs is not clear. They are known to modulate signaling in a number of pathways known to function abnormally during the development of cancer. One of the pathways inhibited by the alkylphosphocholines is Akt, a pathway associated with tumor survival and growth. Akt is considered to be one of the most important cancer targets being researched today. ABOUT KERYX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of novel pharmaceutical products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Keryx's lead compound under development is KRX-101 (sulodexide), a first-in-class, oral heparinoid compound for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, a life- threatening kidney disease caused by diabetes. KRX-101 is in a pivotal Phase 3 and Phase 4 clinical program under a Special Protocol Assessment with the Food & Drug Administration. Additionally, Keryx is developing clinical-stage oncology compounds, including KRX-0401, a novel, first-in-class, oral modulator of Akt, a pathway associated with tumor survival and growth, and other important signal transduction pathways. KRX-0401 is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for multiple tumor types. Keryx also has an active in- licensing and acquisition program designed to identify and acquire additional drug candidates. Keryx is headquartered in New York City. KERYX CONTACT: Ron Renaud, CFO Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Tel: 212.531.5965 E-mail: DATASOURCE: Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Ron Renaud, CFO, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-212-531-5965, Web site: http://www.keryx.com/ http://www.hematology.org/meetings/abstracts.cfm

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