AVI BioPharma to Present At 11th Annual Cruttenden Roth Growth Stock Conference.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BW HealthWire)--February 11, 1999--AVI BIOPHARMA INC. ("AVI")(Nasdaq: AVII, AVIIW) today announced that it will be presenting an overview of the company's core technologies and lead product candidate Avicine(tm), a cancer vaccine, at the 11th Annual Cruttenden Roth Growth Stock Conference, in Laguna Niguel, California. Denis R. Burger, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of AVI , and, Alan P. Timmins, Chief Operating Officer, will be presenting on Thursday, February 11th , 1999 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

Dr. Burger commented, "AVI's unique and diverse product portfolio includes development programs in the fields of vaccines, gene-targeted drugs and drug delivery, all focused on cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Our lead product candidate, Avicine, will soon enter a Phase III licensing trial in colorectal cancer, a Phase II trial in pancreatic cancer and a Phase II in prostate cancer. To facilitate these three important studies, we have selected reputable contract research organizations and have begun the manufacture of the vaccine under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). We are very excited by the Phase II clinical data, which suggests that Avicine is essentially non-toxic, and demonstrates apparent survival benefits in patients who have failed conventional therapies."

Avicine is AVI's lead product candidate. As previously reported, Avicine elicits a highly specific immune response to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormonal cancer-associated oncofetal growth factor. Detailed analysis of the Company's recently completed Avicine Phase II clinical study in 77 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer provided evidence of survival benefits comparable to conventional therapies including Camptosar(R) (Lilly) chemotherapy, or 5 Fluorouracil (5-FU). Among all patients responding to Avicine immunotherapy, median survival was 42 weeks compared to only 17 weeks in patients that did not respond immunologically. This compares favorably to median survival of similar patients treated with Camptosar and 5-FU (39 and 28 weeks respectively). When responding patients were evaluated further, median survival was 46 weeks in patients randomized to an Avicine low dose treatment arm.

AVI BioPharma Inc. is dedicated to the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases using three platforms: immunotherapy for cancer, gene-targeted drugs, and intracellular drug delivery technology. Its lead clinical agent, Avicine, an essentially non-toxic cancer vaccine, is about to enroll patients for a Phase III licensing trial in colorectal cancer, a Phase II trial in pancreatic cancer and a Phase II trial in prostate cancer. The Company has also developed a patented class of gene-targeted drugs, called NeuGenes(R), which may be useful in the treatment of a wide range of human diseases including cardiovascular restenosis and cancer. Further, AVI has developed a novel drug delivery technology, called CytoPorter(tm), that may be useful in significantly improving drug uptake while minimizing toxicity for a wide range of FDA approved drugs.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements that are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the results of pre-clinical and clinical testing, the effect of regulation by the FDA and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.