Maxim announces four additional u.s. patents for ceplene[tm] technology

MAXIM ANNOUNCES FOUR ADDITIONAL U.S. PATENTS FOR CEPLENE TECHNOLOGY San Diego, CA, October 25, 2001 - Maxim Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq NM: MAXM, SSE: MAXM) today announced that the United States Patent Office has allowed a new key patent and issued three additional patents supporting the Company's CepleneTM (histamine dihydrochloride) technology for the treatment of cancer and hepatitis. The United States Patent Office announced that Maxim's Application No. 09/467,652, entitled "Synthesis of Histamine Dihydrochloride," has been allowed. The patent encompasses Maxim's novel synthetic method for the production of pharmaceutical-grade histamine dihydrochloride, the active agent in Ceplene. The United States Patent Office has also issued the following three patents related to the Ceplene technology platform: · U.S. Patent 6,221,893, entitled "Administration of Histamine for Therapeutic Purposes," encompassing the administration of histamine and related compounds for any therapeutic purpose over time, including administration with a controlled-release carrier or with a device. · U.S. Patent 6,242,473, entitled "Treatment and Prevention of Reactive Oxygen Metabolite-Mediated Cellular Damage," encompassing the administration of histamine to inhibit oxidative damage for the treatment of ischemia or reperfusion injury, infectious disease, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. · U.S. Patent 6,245,563, entitled "Enhanced Activation of Natural Killer Cells Using an NK Cell Activator and Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenger or Inhibitor." "These patents represent a significant expansion of the protection surrounding the Ceplene technology platform for both our current and future commercialization efforts," said Kurt R. Gehlsen, Ph.D., Maxim's Senior Vice President, Development and Chief Technical Officer. "The patent encompassing our synthetic production method for histamine benefits both our Ceplene and MaxDerm technologies, each of which utilize pharmaceutical-grade histamine. The new patents issued broaden our protection regarding administration of histamine for any therapeutic purpose, and highlight the growing body of research demonstrating the potential value of histamine in preventing oxidative damage in a number of critical diseases." The Company now owns or has the rights to 13 issued or allowed U.S. patents and 10 U.S. patent applications related to Ceplene technology. Corresponding patents have been issued, or applications are pending, in major international markets, including Europe, Australia and Japan. Ceplene and Maxim Overview Maxim Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharmaceutical company with a diverse pipeline of product candidates for life-threatening cancers and hepatitis. Maxim's research and development programs are designed to provide hope to patients most in need by developing safe and effective product candidates that extend survival while maintaining quality of life. Maxim has attracted an experienced international management group and a team of employees dedicated to commercializing life-enhancing product candidates. Joining this motivated team in its mission are world- leading scientific and clinical investigators and major pharmaceutical development partners. Ceplene, based on the naturally occurring molecule histamine, is designed to prevent or inhibit oxidative stress, thereby reversing immune suppression and protecting critical immune cells. Ceplene is administered in combination with cytokines such as interleukin-2 or interferon-alpha, a class of proteins that stimulate these same immune cells. Ceplene is currently being tested in Phase 3 cancer clinical trials for advanced metastatic melanoma and acute myelogenous leukemia. Phase 2 trials of Ceplene are also underway for the treatment of hepatitis C and advanced renal cell carcinoma. More than 1,300 patients have participated in the Company's completed and ongoing clinical trials. Ceplene is an investigational drug and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any international regulatory agency. Maxim is also developing small-molecule inhibitors and activators of programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis, that may serve as drug candidates for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other degenerative diseases. Lastly, the Company's MaxDerm technology is designed for the treatment of medical conditions for which topical therapy is appropriate such as oral mucositis, herpes, decubitus ulcers, shingles, burns and related conditions. This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding the efficacy and intended utilization of Ceplene, MaxDerm and the apoptosis modulator compounds, and regarding the Company's clinical trials. Such statements are only predictions and the Company's actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include the risk that products that appeared promising in early research and clinical trials do not demonstrate safety or efficacy in larger-scale clinical trials, the risk that the Company will not obtain approval to market its products, and the risk that if the Company fails to secure adequate protection of its intellectual property or the right to use certain intellectual property of others, it may not be able to protect its products and technologies from competitors. These factors and others are more fully discussed in the Company's periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Note: CepleneTM, MaxDermTM and the Maxim logo are trademarks of the Company. Editor's Note: This release is also available on the Internet at http://www.maxim.com. Contacts: Larry G. Stambaugh Stephanie Diaz (Investors) Chairman, President and CEO (415) 352-6262 Dale A. Sander Kathy Jones, Ph.D. (Media) Chief Financial Officer (212) 213-0006 (858) 453-4040 Burns McClellan ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/10/25/20011025BIT00010/bit0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/10/25/20011025BIT00010/bit0001.pdf