PHARMION SUBMITS EUROPEAN APPLICATION FOR THALIDOMIDE

Pharmion has submitted a marketing authorization application with the European Medicines Agency for Thalidomide Pharmion for the treatment of untreated multiple myeloma in the European Union.

The application is based on a clinical data package comprised of four studies of more than 1,000 patients. The submission includes details of the risk management program.

"The data for Thalidomide in the treatment of untreated multiple myeloma are extremely positive and we believe that it is time for this very important and widely used drug to come under regulatory oversight," Patrick Mahaffy, Pharmion's president and CEO, said.

Thalidomide Pharmion has been designated an orphan medicinal product in the EU for the treatment of multiple myeloma, which, if approved, entitles the drug to 10 years of market exclusivity for that indication.

The drug is approved in Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Israel, South Korea and Thailand for the treatment of multiple myeloma after the failure of standard therapies. In markets where Thalidomide Pharmion is not currently approved, such as the EU, the drug is provided on a compassionate-use basis.

Pharmion is the only provider of thalidomide outside of the U.S. with a comprehensive safety program in place. The company holds exclusive marketing and distribution rights from Celgene for Thalidomide in markets outside of North America, Japan and certain other Asian countries. The drug was approved in the U.S. in May 2006 for use in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.