Advanced Viral Research Corp. Cites Influence of 'Product R' On Opportunistic Infections.

Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers

YONKERS, N.Y.--(BW HealthWire)--June 29, 2000

Dr. Shalom Z. Hirschman Discusses Recent Research on Human Papilloma 

Virus and Dire Need for Effective Drugs in New Online Forum

In his second online forum on Advanced Viral Research Corp.'s (OTCBB:ADVR) Web site -- http://www.adviral.com -- company President and CEO Dr. Shalom Z. Hirschman discusses the dire need for more effective drugs to treat the "opportunistic" infections that often develop in persons with AIDS.

Opportunistic infections are the most devastating complications in people with AIDS. They occur as a result of the destruction of immune function by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Human papilloma viruses (HPV) are among the most common infections for which no therapy exists, or for which the existing therapy is only marginally effective and fraught with severe toxic side effects.

As Dr. Hirschman writes, "In persons whose immune systems have been compromised, these infections become much more severe and can be life threatening. At present, no effective drug has been approved (by the FDA) for the systemic treatment of disseminated HPV infection."

However, recent research by scientists at the Advanced Viral Research Institute has shown that Product R, an experimental drug being developed by the company as a broad spectrum antiviral, interferes with the actual replication and growth of HPV in cell culture. Earlier research by the company demonstrated that Product R interferes with the expression of a key protein implicated in the development of cervical cancer (the product of the E7 gene of HPV subtype 18).

Writes Dr. Hirschman, "These results indicate that Product R may be useful in the treatment of disseminated human papilloma virus infection and in inhibiting the development of cervical cancer. Indeed, these preliminary clinical results suggest that Product R may be an effective non-toxic drug for both systemic and topical therapy of disseminated HPV infection in people with AIDS."

To read the complete text of current and previous installments of "Dr. Hirschman's Forum," visit http://www.adviral.com.

Shalom Z. Hirschman, M.D., joined Advanced Viral Research Corp. as president and CEO following a 28-year affiliation with The Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and The Mt. Sinai Hospital. During his tenure there, Dr. Hirschman held several academic positions, including Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Professor of Medicine, and Vice Chairman of the Department of Medicine. He spent seven years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD; he has been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, NATURE and SCIENCE, and founded one of New York City's first and most active AIDS treatment and research centers.

About Advanced Viral Research Corp.

Advanced Viral Research Corp., based in Yonkers, New York, is a biopharmaceutical firm committed to researching, developing and bringing to market new, effective therapies for viral and other diseases, which will lead to the alleviation of human suffering and diseases worldwide. Its flagship drug, Product R, is a non-toxic immunomodulator that has been shown to have beneficial therapeutic effects against viral diseases such as AIDS.

Note: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks associated with clinical development, regulatory approvals, including application to the FDA, product commercialization and other risks described from time to time in the SEC reports filed by ADVR. Product R is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any comparable agencies of any other countries.