AVAX Technologies Announces Clearance to Commence Clinical Trials for Its Autologous Cell Vaccine M-Vax in United States.

PHILADELPHIA -- Multi-Center Trials to Be Sourced from the Company's Manufacturing Facility in Lyon, France

AVAX Technologies, Inc. (OTCMarket:AVXT.OB) today announces that it has received acknowledgement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it may begin a clinical trial of its autologous, hapten-modified melanoma vaccine, M-Vax in the United States. The Company submitted an amendment to its previously approved IND filed in November 2002. In addition to adding a control arm the study, the IND amendment included changing the source of the manufacturing of the vaccine to the companies manufacturing facility in Lyon, France.

The study, which will be the first clinical trial of M-Vax since the re-engineering of the manufacturing process to make the vaccine, is expected to enroll patients in the beginning of 2005. A maximum of 56 patients with stage III or IV melanoma will be assigned in a double-blind design to one of four vaccine dosage groups, including one group receiving a zero-cell dose. Patients will be evaluated for safety and for the development of an immune response to autologous melanoma cells, as measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). The trial will determine whether M-Vax is bio-equivalent to the original autologous, hapten-modified vaccine. Administration of the original vaccine to 214 patients with clinically evident stage III melanoma after lymphadenectomy resulted in a five-year over survival of 45%. Moreover, patients who developed DTH to autologous, unmodified melanoma cells had an overall survival rate that was double that of patients who did not (59.3% vs. 29.3%, p less than .001); these results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in February, 2004 and commented upon in an editorial commissioned by the Journal.

"We are happy to be able to re-initiate clinical programs with the AC Vaccine technology" stated Dr. David Berd, Chief Medical Officer and inventor of the vaccine technology. "In addition to the re-establishment of the melanoma program we are quite optimistic about identifying additional potential human cancers for treatment with the vaccine as was previously demonstrated with ovarian and renal cell cancers."

Richard Rainey, President of AVAX stated "We are quite excited about this opportunity to re-launch our clinical program. It is important that we will be using DTH responsiveness as a surrogate clinical endpoint to measure the biological activity of M-Vax. We believe the data supporting the relevance of DTH is quite compelling and that this marker will continue to be of value in later stage clinical trials. Most importantly, this is the first step in AVAX's regulatory plan for M-Vax building to the re-initiation of US pivotal registration trials."

European Regulatory Strategy

AVAX is pursuing the filing of a BLA with the French authorities for the treatment of melanoma patients. As part of the registration process the Company's facility in Lyon was inspected by AFSAPPS and deemed to be in compliance for the production of M-Vax in accordance with cGMP manufacturing requirements for cell and gene therapies. The second aspect of the filing will include efficacy claims to be made for the vaccine which is currently being prepared to be filed. In addition the Company continues to treat patients on a compassionate use basis in conjunction with its European distribution partner Grupo Ferrar SA.

About the AC Vaccine Therapeutic

AVAX Technologies, Inc. is a biotechnology company with operations in the United States and Europe. The Company is engaged in the research, clinical and commercial development of biological products and cancer therapeutics. In addition the Company offers contract-manufacturing services of biological products to other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

AVAX's AC Vaccine is a therapeutic treatment for cancer. Recently published data for a group of 214 patients with Stage III melanoma showed five-year survival of 45% and a statistically significant relationship between survival and a surrogate marker for survival, DTH (Journal of Clinical Oncology, February, 2004). In addition, administration of the vaccine to patients with Stage IV melanoma caused objective regression of tumors in some patients, particularly those with lung metastases. In earlier reported clinical trials in ovarian and renal cell carcinoma, administration of the vaccine induced DTH responses similar to those observed in melanoma patients, indicating that this approach is applicable to other human cancers.

Except for statements that are historical, the statements in this release are "forward-looking" statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, and in light of the significant uncertainties inherent in such statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by AVAX that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. In fact, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Many important factors affect the Company's prospects, including (1) the Company's ability to obtain substantial additional capital to fund its development programs, (2) the results of laboratory testing of its vaccine technologies, (3) possible future FDA or AFSSAPS questions regarding the Company's products and manufacturing processes, (4) the Company's ability to maintain its rights under license and research funding agreements and to meeting funding requirements under its license and research funding agreements, (5) the Company's ability to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of product candidates at each stage of development and to meet applicable regulatory standards and receive required regulatory approvals, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in AVAX's public disclosure filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2003 and its Registration Statement on Form SB-2 filed with the SEC on November 8, 2004. AVAX does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.