Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Announces Poster Presentations Highlighting Clinical Activity...

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Announces Poster Presentations Highlighting Clinical
Activity of KRX-0401 (Perifosine) at the Upcoming Annual Meeting of the
American Society of Clinical Oncology

Results Will be Reported from Phase 2 Studies Evaluating KRX-0401 in Advanced
Renal Cell Carcinoma, Colorectal Cancer and Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
(GIST)

NEW YORK, May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Nasdaq: KERX) today announced that four abstracts on KRX-0401 (Perifosine),
the Company's Akt-inhibitor for cancer, were accepted for presentation during
poster sessions taking place at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American
Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), to be held in Orlando, Florida from May
29 to June 2.

All of the clinical data to be presented demonstrates the potential clinical
efficacy of KRX-0401, both as a single agent and in combination with other
approved agents, in the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell
carcinoma, colorectal cancer and GIST.

Abstracts selected for presentation are as follows:

Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)

Friday, May 29th, 2009:

#5034: Phase II study of perifosine in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
progressing after prior therapy (Rx) with a VEGF receptor inhibitor.

Lead Author: Nicholas Vogelzang, MD

Poster Discussion: 5:00pm-6:00pm (Level 2, West Hall F5)

Sunday, May 31st, 2009:

#5101: A phase II trial of perifosine in patients with advanced renal cell
carcinoma (RCC) who have failed tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI).

Lead Author: Daniel Cho, MD

Poster Session: 2:00pm - 6:00pm (Level 2, West Hall C)

Colorectal Cancer

Sunday, May 31st, 2009:

#4081: Randomized phase II study of perifosine in combination with
capecitabine versus capecitabine alone in patients with second- or third-line
metastatic colon cancer.

Lead Author: Sasha Vukelja, MD

Poster Session: 8:00am - 12:00pm (Level 2, West Hall C)

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Sunday, May 31st, 2009:

#10563: A randomized phase II study of perifosine (P) plus imatinib for
patients with imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).

Lead Author: Anthony Conley, MD

Poster Session: 2:00pm - 6:00pm (Level 2, West Hall C)

Copies of these abstracts are currently available and can be viewed on-line
through the ASCO website: http://www.asco.org/.

About Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is focused on the acquisition, development and
commercialization of medically important, novel pharmaceutical products for
the treatment of life-threatening diseases, including renal disease and
cancer. Keryx is developing Zerenex(TM)(ferric citrate), an oral, iron-based
compound that has the capacity to bind to phosphate and form non-absorbable
complexes. Zerenex has recently completed a Phase 2 clinical program as a
treatment for hyperphosphatemia (elevated phosphate levels) in patients with
end-stage renal disease. The Company is also developing KRX-0401 (perifosine),
a novel, potentially first-in-class, oral anti-cancer agent that modulates
Akt, a protein in the body associated with tumor survival and growth. KRX-0401
also modulates a number of other key signal transduction pathways, including
the JNK and MAPK pathways, which are pathways associated with programmed cell
death, cell growth, cell differentiation and cell survival. KRX-0401 is
currently in Phase 2 clinical development for multiple tumor types. The
Company also actively engages in business development activities that include
seeking strategic relationships for its product candidates and for the
Company, as well as evaluating compounds and companies for in-licensing or
acquisition. Keryx is headquartered in New York City.

Cautionary Statement

Some of the statements included in this press release, particularly those
anticipating future clinical and business prospects for KRX-0401, may be
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Among the factors that could cause our actual results to
differ materially are the following: our ability to successfully complete
clinical trials for KRX-0401; our ability to meet anticipated development
timelines for KRX-0401 due to recruitment, clinical trial results,
manufacturing capabilities or other factors; and other risk factors identified
from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release
speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not intend to update
any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are
available at http://www.keryx.com. The information in our website and in the
American Society of Clinical Oncology's website is not incorporated by
reference into this press release and is included as an inactive textual
reference only.

KERYX CONTACT: Lauren Fischer Director
Investor Relations
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Tel: 212.531.5965
E-mail: lfischer@keryx.com

SOURCE Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

Lauren Fischer, Director, Investor Relations, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.,
+1-212-531-5965, lfischer@keryx.com