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XKEM News Xechem Announces ``Notice of Allowance'' for a Patent Relating to a Method of Treating Sickle Cell Disease With 5-HMF Compound Licensed from VCU

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xechem International, Inc. (OTC BB: XKEM) announced today the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) a notice of patent allowance relating to a method of treating Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) with a unique 5-membered heterocyclic anti-sickling agent known as 5-HMF. A notice of allowance is a written notification that a patent application has cleared an internal review and is nearing issuance.

The exclusive, worldwide rights for the production, sales and marketing of 5-HMF for use in the battle against SCD belong to Xechem as part of a collaborative licensing agreement with VCU. In May 2006, Xechem was successful in obtaining Orphan Drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use of 5-HMF by patients afflicted with SCD.

Xechem also announced recently that it has received a SBIR grant in the amount of $473,181 from the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH-NHLBI) to carry out the toxicity studies on 5-HMF.

5-HMF is a Pure Compound

Research led by Donald Abraham, Ph.D., professor of medicinal chemistry, VCU School of Pharmacy, has shown that 5-HMF, a pure compound with very little, if any, toxicity, has a high affinity for sickle cell hemoglobin and may be effective in the treatment of SCD. “Our findings suggest that this anti-sickling agent may lead to new drug treatments and may one day help those suffering with SCD. This molecule, 5-HMF, is the most promising molecule to treat sickle cell anemia to come from our research group in more than 30 years,” Abraham said.

With the addition of 5-HMF, Xechem has now been able to expand its potent arsenal for treating Sickle Cell Disease beyond its Natural Herbal Drug, NICOSAN™, which was approved on July 3^rd, 2006, by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and is currently being sold in Nigeria on a limited basis.

According to Xechem's Chairman and CEO, Dr. Ramesh C. Pandey, "With all of the excitement over the recent commercial launch in Nigeria of NICOSAN™, our all Natural Herbal Drug, there has been less attention focused on our other SCD product, 5-HMF, which also represents an extremely promising potential treatment for patients suffering with this terrible disease. As a pure compound, 5-HMF is the perfect complement to our herbal product and together with NICOSAN™ places us in a unique position of providing much needed efficacious treatment for this painful and debilitating condition. As the exclusive licensee for this product, we are very pleased to have the protections that a patent allowance affords to VCU and to us.”

About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder caused by an abnormality in the hemoglobin molecule. Patients with the disease often produce stiff, abnormally shaped red blood cells that often do not flow freely through the blood vessels. This can create clogs in the vessels, which in turn can cut off the flow of normal hemoglobin and oxygen to parts of the body, and can cause severe painful attacks or “crises”, damage to various organs and shortened life spans. People with SCD often suffer unpredictable painful crises several times a year lasting from a few hours to a week or more. In the US, there are approximately 80,000 patients with SCD. In Nigeria, that number is believed to be approximately 4 million, with an estimated 10 - 12 million sufferers throughout the African continent. Worldwide, at least 16 million individuals are believed to be afflicted with SCD.

About Xechem

Xechem International is a development stage biopharmaceutical company working on Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), antimalarials, and antiviral (including AIDS), anticancer, antifungal and antibacterial products from natural sources, including microbial and marine organisms. Its focus is on the development of phyto-pharmaceuticals (Natural Herbal Drugs) and other proprietary technologies, including those used in the treatment of orphan diseases. Xechem’s mission is to bring relief to the millions of people who suffer from these diseases. Its recent focus and resources have been directed primarily toward the development and launch of NICOSAN™ (named HEMOXIN™ in the US and Europe) for the prophylactic management of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). With the recent Nigerian regulatory approval of NICOSAN™, Xechem is now scaling-up the commercialization of the drug in Nigeria and making preparations for the pursuit of US FDA and European regulatory approval.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended, and section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by safe harbors created hereby. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties.