ChemGenex to Present Pivotal Data in T315I Positive CML Patients as Oral Presentation at ASCO

MELBOURNE, Australia & MENLO PARK, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:CXS) (NASDAQ:CXSP) announced today that
updated clinical data from the registration-directed clinical trial of
omacetaxine will be presented as an oral presentation at the forthcoming
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 45th Annual Meeting in Orlando,
Florida.

Data from the pivotal study on the use of omacetaxine in chronic myeloid
leukemia (CML) patients who have failed imatinib and who harbor the T315I
mutation, will be given at 11:30 am on Monday 1st June, by Dr. Jorge Cortes, MD,
Professor of Medicine and Deputy Chair in the Department of Leukemia at The
University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center.

In addition, a poster on the company`s complementary phase 2 study investigating
the potential use of omacetaxine in CML patients with resistance to multiple
tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), will be presented between 5-6 pm on Friday
29th May by Dr. Meir Wetzler MD, Chief of the Division of Leukemia, School of
Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer
Institute.

Commenting on today`s publication of the final program for ASCO, Greg Collier,
Ph.D., Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ChemGenex said, "We are
delighted that our late stage product candidate, omacetaxine, will be presented
at a podium session during this prestigious conference."

About Omacetaxine

Omacetaxine mepesuccinate is a first-in-class cetaxine with demonstrated
clinical activity as a single agent in a range of hematological malignancies.
Omacetaxine has a novel mechanism of action, and induces apoptosis by inhibition
of protein synthesis, particularly Mcl-1. As omacetaxine acts independently of
tyrosine kinase inhibitors, it may have a therapeutic advantage for patients who
have developed resistance to TKIs. Omacetaxine is administered subcutaneously.

About ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited(http://www.chemgenex.com)

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical development company dedicated to
improving the lives of patients by developing personalized oncology medicines.
ChemGenex harnesses the power of genomics both to discover novel targets and
drug compounds, and in clinical trials to develop more individualized treatment
outcomes. ChemGenex`s lead compound, omacetaxine mepesuccinate, is currently in
phase 2/3 clinical trials for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). ChemGenex has a
second anticancer compound, amonafide dihydrochloride (Quinamed®) which is in
phase 2 clinical development for various solid cancers, and a portfolio of
assets in pre-clinical development. ChemGenex currently trades on the Australian
Stock Exchange under the symbol "CXS" and on NASDAQ under the symbol "CXSP". For
additional information on ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals, please visit our web site
at http://www.chemgenex.com.

Details on the clinical trials can be accessed from the following websites;

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00375219?term=homoharringtonine&rank=9 and
http://www.tkiresistantcmltrials.com

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made herein (including for this purpose sites to which a
hyperlink has been provided) that use the words "estimate", "project", "intend",
"expect", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the US Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from those
which may be expressed or implied by such statements, including, among others,
risks or uncertainties associated with the development of the company`s
technology, the ability to successfully market products in the clinical
pipeline, the ability to advance promising therapeutics through clinical trials,
the ability to establish our fully integrated technologies, the ability to enter
into additional collaborations and strategic alliances and expand current
collaborations and obtain milestone payments, the suitability of internally
discovered genes for drug development, the ability of the company to meet its
financial requirements, the ability of the company to protect its proprietary
technology, potential limitations on the company`s technology, the market for
the company`s products, government regulation in Australia and the United
States, changes in tax and other laws, changes in competition and the loss of
key personnel. These statements are based on our management`s current
expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could change the
results described in the forward-looking statements. Investors should be aware
that there are no assurances that results will not differ from those projected.

ChemGenex
Dr. Greg Collier, Cell (Australia): +61 419 897501
Cell (USA): +1 650-200-8145
CEO and Managing Director
Email: collier@chemgenex.com
or
Buchan Consulting
Media Relations - Australia
Rebecca Wilson, +61 (0)3 9866 4722
Cell: + 61 (0)417 382 391
Email: rwilson@bcg.com.au
or
Kureczka/Martin Associates
Media Relations - USA
Joan Kureczka, +1 415-821-2413
Email: Jkureczka@comcast.net

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