Hemispherx and Anderson Clinical Research to Combine Forces in New Initiative Against HIV Drug Resistant Strains

PHILADELPHIA (PROTEXT) - Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (Amex:HEB; HEBws) today announced that it was developing clinicalprograms with Anderson Clinical Research that are designed toaddress the growing problem of multi-drug resistance found inbattling the AIDS epidemic both in the U.S. and worldwide. Theprograms will include the use of Ampligen(R), Hemispherx's leadcompound, which is currently undergoing clinical trials inchronic viral infections. "We are very excited about the prospects for Ampligen(R) tofill a major void in our overall therapeutic approach to HIV.This excitement is based on our experience, not only withAmpligen(R), but other promising immunotherapeutics --regrettably of which there are still too few at the advancedclinical level," said Roger Anderson, M.D., Chief ExecutiveOfficer and President of Anderson Clinical Research, Inc. Anderson Clinical Research, Inc., which is based inPittsburgh, is a world-recognized clinical research organizationthat specializes in sponsoring clinical trials in AIDS andrelated immunological disorders. Anderson operates AIDS-relatedclinical trials for multinational pharmaceutical companies ineight major metropolitan locations in the U.S., excluding fourtreatment sites in New York City. William A. Carter, M.D., CEO, of Hemispherx commented: "Therecent National Institutes of Health studies have recognized thecritical need to boost the immune system if physicians are togain truly long term ability to suppress HIV and purge residualHIV virus from the body. For example, just last year some 50,000Americans initiated anti-HIV 'cocktails' and within 12 monthsthere were more than 150,000 treatment switches within thesenewly started regimens. These numbers thus demonstrate thefailures of our current treatment regimens which are due in largepart to the development of drug resistance caused by viralmutation. Dr. Anderson and his team have a unique, broadexperience with inserting immunotherapy along side the basicantiretroviral regimen to potentially dramatically improve thelong term effectiveness." Hemispherx said these clinical programs with Anderson ClinicalResearch are a direct experimental outgrowth of comprehensivetesting recently sponsored by Hemispherx through research grantsat the University of California at Irvine and the CaliforniaInstitute of Molecular Medicine in Los Angeles, which have beenfacilitated by researchers at Vanderbilt University School ofMedicine in Nashville, Tenn. Hemispherx said that the newcomprehensive ex vivo tests, which will be presented atinternational AIDS research meetings in the United States andEurope within the next several weeks, are unique because eachqualified research laboratory analyzed all fourteen FDA-approvedantivirals at one time -- examining their relative antiviralstrengths and comparing weaknesses as a first step to enhancingoverall effectiveness. The experimental protocol represents thefirst time immunomodulatory drugs -- with a wholly new mechanismof action -- are being overlaid in a systematic manner on thetraditional FDA approved antiviral 'cocktails' -- in an effort toovercome the growth of the emerging drug resistant HIV strains. Hemispherx said that the new clinical directions werecrystallized at the September 27, 1999, Interscience Conferenceon Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy meetings in SanFrancisco, in which members of multinational pharma sector andAIDS service organizations met with manufacturers of immune-basedproducts, including Hemispherx, to devise new strategies. Information contained in this news release other thanhistorical information, should be considered forward-looking andis subject to various risk factors and uncertainties. Forinstance, the strategies and operations of HEMISPHERX involverisks of competition, changing market conditions, changes in lawsand regulations affecting these industries and numerous otherfactors discussed in this release and in the Company's filingswith the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, actualresults may differ materially from those in any forward-lookingstatements. ots Original Text Service: Hemispherx Biopharma,Inc. Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: William A.Carter, M.D., CEO & Chairman of Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc., 215-988-0080; or William Jenks, Institutional Investors, 212-232-2222, or fax, 212-232-3232; or Harris Freedman, InvestorRelations, 212-572-0763, or fax, 212-572-0764, both forHemispherx Biopharma; or Roger Anderson of Anderson ClinicalResearch, 412-688-8448 Web site: http://www.hemispherx.com

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