( Commenting on these pre-clinical resul...)Gentium's Defibrotide Highlighted in Two Poster Presentations at,American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting,Health

Commenting on these pre-clinical results, Dr. Eissner stated, "Our in vivo and in vitro data suggest that while Defibrotide is known for its anti-inflammatory and endothelium-protecting function, it also inhibits (tumor) blood vessel formation. This concept is supported by RT-PCR data showing that Defibrotide significantly down-regulates heparanase expression in endothelial and tumor cells, and thus should be considered for further testing as an anticancer agent."

Laura Ferro, M.D., Gentium's president and chief executive officer, said, "These pre-clinical results are very encouraging and continue to expand our scientific knowledge of Defibrotide's multi-factorial mechanisms of action and help us to better understand its therapeutic value as a potentially powerful anticancer agent.

"We are especially pleased with the data presented at AACR as it further elucidates Defibrotide's mechanism of action and corroborates positive preliminary data from an independent Phase I/II study of Defibrotide to treat multiple myeloma in combination with melphalan, prednisone and thalidomide underway in Italy."

About Gentium

Gentium, S.p.A., located in Como, Italy, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, discovery and development of drugs to treat and prevent a variety of vascular diseases and conditions related to cancer and cancer treatments. Defibrotide, the Company's lead product candidate, is an investigational drug that has been granted Orphan Drug status and Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Severe Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) and Orphan Medicinal Product Designation by the European Commission both to treat and to prevent VOD.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate,
'"/>