ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX:ANX) , a biopharmaceutical research and development company focused on commercializing proprietary product candidates for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that Jack Lief, president and chief executive officer, and a founder and director of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA) , was named Chairman of ADVENTRX.

"I'm very pleased to accept the position as Chairman of ADVENTRX. I hope my knowledge and experience continues to prove valuable as ADVENTRX progresses with its Phase 3 clinical trial of ANX-510 and as the company continues to move other product candidates into the clinic that also hold significant potential to provide patients better treatment options," commented Jack Lief, president and CEO of Arena.

Mr. Lief joined ADVENTRX's board of directors in September 2006 and also serves on the board of directors of Accumetrics, Inc., a developer and marketer of diagnostic tests, ReqMed Company, Ltd., a provider of partnering opportunities, R&D strategies and bio-venture funding, and TaiGen Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a biotechnology company. In addition, Mr. Lief is an executive board member for BIOCOM, a life science industry association representing more than 450 member companies in San Diego and Southern California, and from March 2005 to March 2006, served as chairman of BIOCOM.

About ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals

ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical research and development company focused on commercializing proprietary product candidates for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The Company seeks to improve the performance and safety of existing treatments by addressing significant problems such as drug metabolism, bioavailability, excessive toxicity and treatment resistance. More information can be found on the Company's web site at http://www.adventrx.com/.