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Synribo

Generic name: omacetaxine mepesuccinate
Treatment for: Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Update: Synribo (omacetaxine) Now FDA Approved - October 26, 2012

FDA Advisory Committee to Review Omapro

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Announces Omapro to be Reviewed by the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee for the Treatment of Adults with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia who have Failed Prior Therapy with Imatinib and have the Bcr-Abl T315I Mutation

MELBOURNE, Australia & MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2009 - ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:CXS) announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the company that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will conduct a public advisory meeting on 10 February 2010 to review the Company's NDA for Omapro (omacetaxine mepesuccinate) for injection. The proposed indication for Omapro is for the treatment of adults with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have failed prior therapy with imatinib and who have developed the Bcr-Abl T315I mutation. The Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to the FDA on regulatory issues.

ChemGenex submitted the NDA on 9 September 2009. The NDA was accepted by the FDA on 10 November 2009 and granted Priority Review.

About Omacetaxine

Omacetaxine 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, specifically binding to the ribosomal A-site cleft and inhibiting protein translation of short-lived oncoproteins that are upregulated in leukemic cells (particularly Cyclin-D1, Mcl-1 and c-Myc).

Omacetaxine mepesuccinate is administered subcutaneously and acts differently from TKIs. It may have a therapeutic advantage for patients who have failed TKIs. Omacetaxine is currently in global phase 2/3 clinical trials for subsequent indications within CML and has been granted Orphan Drug designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMEA) as well as Fast Track status by the FDA.

About ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited

ChemGenex is an oncology focused biopharmaceutical company developing small molecules with new mechanisms of action to treat malignancies with significant unmet medical needs. A New Drug Application has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a Marketing Authorisation Application has been validated by the European Medicines Agency for CML patients who have failed imatinib therapy and have the Bcr-Abl T315I mutation. ChemGenex has established a corporate alliance with Hospira to develop and commercialize omacetaxine in Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa, and is seeking to establish commercial partnerships in the rest of the world. ChemGenex plans to commercialize omacetaxine itself in North America. ChemGenex trades on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol "CXS" For additional information on ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals, please visit the company's website at http://www.chemgenex.com.

Omapro is a trademark of ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited.

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.

Contact: ChemGenex
Dr. Greg Collier
CEO and Managing Director
Cell (Australia): +61 419 897501
Cell (USA): +1-650-200-8145
gcollier@chemgenex.com
or
Buchan Consulting
Investor Relations – Australia
Kyahn Williamson
Tel: +61 (0)3 9866 4722
Cell: + 61 (0)401 018 828
kwilliamson@bcg.com.au
or
Blueprint Life Science Group
Investor Relations – USA
Remy Bernarda
Tel: +1-415-375-3340 ext. 2022
Cell: +1-415-203-6386
rbernarda@bplifescience.com

Posted: December 2009

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