March 23, 2004

News Release: AnorMED sells global patents for FOSRENOL(R) (lanthanum carbonate) to Shire Pharmaceuticals Group

AnorMED Inc. (TSX:AOM) announced today that it has agreed to sell the global patents for FOSRENOL(R) to Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, and one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, for up to US$31 million in milestone payments to be made upon regulatory approval in the United States, the European Union, and Japan.

Michael Abrams, President and CEO of AnorMED, said the proceeds of the sale will be used to drive development of the Company's two leading product candidates now in clinical trials and to aggressively pursue preclinical studies for several other product candidates in cardiac tissue repair, oncology, and HIV. Under the terms of the agreement, Shire will pay AnorMED US$18 million when FOSRENOL is approved in the United States and US$7 million when FOSRENOL is approved in the relevant EU countries. In consideration of these payments, Shire's royalty obligations to AnorMED shall cease throughout the world, except for Japan. The agreement also provides Shire a 12 month option to purchase the Japanese patents for US$6 million to be paid upon approval in Japan. On the exercise of the option, Shire's royalty obligations to AnorMED for FOSRENOL sales in Japan also cease. If the option is not exercised, AnorMED will continue to be entitled to FOSRENOL royalties in Japan. The title to the patents will be transferred from AnorMED to Shire upon payment of milestones.

Shire has assumed all responsibility and costs for the development and commercialization of FOSRENOL. Shire filed for regulatory review and approval in the European Union, Canada and with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for FOSRENOL as a treatment for high phosphate levels in the blood, which occurs in patients undergoing dialysis as a result of chronic kidney failure. On February 28, 2003, Shire received an approvable letter from the FDA. The approvable letter asked Shire for additional data and analysis to address a number of remaining questions. The requested data and analysis has been provided to the FDA and Shire expects the FDA's review to be completed in 2004. Shire also announced they have initiated labelling discussions with the EU Reference Member State.

AnorMED is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of new small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, HIV and inflammation, among others. The Company has four clinical products in development and a research program focused on a novel class of compounds that target specific chemokine receptors known to be involved in a variety of diseases.

Over the course of 2004, AnorMED plans to complete Phase II trials in AMD3100 for stem cell transplantation. An end of Phase II meeting will be held with the FDA to plan Phase III trials for AMD3100 in stem cell transplantation. In addition, the Company expects to file an Investigational New Drug application to begin human clinical trials for AMD3100 in heart attack patients. AnorMED will also initiate further trials for AMD070 in HIV patients. Additional information on AnorMED Inc. is available on the Company's website: www.anormed.com.

Note: Certain of the statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not expect to update forward-looking statements continually as conditions change. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risk factors associated with the Company's business contained in the Company's Short Form Prospectus filed with securities regulatory authorities dated December 17, 2003.

SOURCE AnorMED Inc.

Elisabeth Whiting, M.Sc., Senior Director, Corporate Development, &Communications, Office : (604) 532-4667, Direct : (604) 763-4682, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (AOM.)


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