The patent, U.S. Patent Number 6,080,395, is entitled "Method and Composition for Topical Treatment of Damaged Tissue Using Histamine as Active Ingredient." This patent encompasses a pharmaceutical formulation underlying the company's MaxDerm technology, as well as the use of that formulation in the treatment of topical maladies such as oral mucositis, herpes labialis (cold sores), herpes genitalis, chicken pox, allergic conjunctivitis, aphthous stomatitis, thermal burns, sunburn, decubitus ulcers and shingles.

"Our research has suggested that MaxDerm's active agent, histamine, is an important molecule in the healing process for certain topical maladies, and we are pleased with the additional protection provided by this most recent patent," said Dr. Kurt Gehlsen, Maxim's senior vice president, development and chief technical officer. "Our preclinical work, and the results of pilot human studies, have shown promise in a number of indications, including oral mucositis and oral herpes. We are currently undertaking activities associated with the preparation of this drug candidate for human studies in oral mucositis."

Maxim now owns or has the rights to six issued U.S. patents and one U.S. patent application relating to MaxDerm. Corresponding international patents or patent applications have been issued or are pending.

Company Overview

Maxim Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company developing advanced drugs and therapies for cancer and infectious diseases. The company's immunotherapeutic drug candidate, Ceplene(TM) (histamine dihydrochloride, formerly Maxamine(R)) is currently being tested in two Phase 3 cancer clinical trials in 12 countries 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. The company has also developed product candidates based on its MaxDerm(TM) technology that are 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. Lastly, Maxim is developing small-molecule inhibitors and activators of caspases, key enzymes that modulate and carry out the cellular signaling pathways involved in programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis. Compounds that can either inhibit caspases or induce caspases may form the basis for important new drugs for a wide variety of disease targets, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and other degenerative diseases.

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 caspase 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, the risk that clinical trials may not commence when planned, and the risk that if we fail to secure adequate protection of our intellectual property our products and technologies may not provide us with any competitive advantage. These factors and others are more fully discussed in the Company's periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.