Averion Expands European Operations.

Opens Four European Offices and Strengthens Oncology Expertise

BOSTON -- Averion International Corp. (OTCBB:AVRO), a clinical research organization (CRO) specializing in oncology, medical devices, dermatology and nephrology, today announced that it has strengthened its European operations by opening four European-based offices. Averion has added many professionals, including clinicians with extensive experience conducting oncology clinical trials, to support expanded European operations, including staffing the new facilities.

"Expanding geographically is key to our growth strategy as it supports our ability to provide services to international clients and to capitalize on the rapid growth that characterizes the CRO industry," said Philip Lavin, PhD, Averion Chief Executive Officer. "We are exceptionally pleased to recruit top quality CRO professionals with established credentials in conducting clinical trials, especially in oncology. We view oncology as a particularly attractive segment for Averion in which we have proven expertise in conducting these highly complex and often lengthy trials."

John Shillingford, PhD, President Averion Europe GmbH, stated, "We expect this expansion will open new opportunities for Averion as it allows us to gain access in Central and Eastern Europe to large populations of patients. We have already identified clinical sites within Europe with competent, well-trained staffs to run quality trials at competitive prices."

The new Averion offices include:

* Averion Europe GmbH, located near Frankfurt, Germany, will provide financial, administrative and operational support for Averion's European operations.

* Averion Ltd., located in the United Kingdom, will oversee operations for Averion's clinical trials in northwestern Europe and coordinate activities with Averion's UK-based clients.

* Averion Clinical Research GmbH, located in Austria, will handle responsibilities for Averion's Central and Eastern European operations.

* Averion Sp. z.o.o., located in Poland, will provide operational support and co-ordination of studies in Poland and the Baltic States.

Key additions to Averion include:

* Ewa Chryanowska, M.D., Senior CRA/Managing Director of Averion Sp. z.o.o., is heading an operational base in Poland. Dr. Chryanowska, a trained dentist, has extensive CRO experience that includes heading CRO Premier Research Group plc's clinical operations in Poland and her own monitoring company also in Poland. She brings broad therapeutic experience including oncology from participation in both national and international Phase II and III projects and extensive knowledge of Polish clinical trial regulations.

* Jane Humphreys, Regional Director of Western European Operations of Averion Ltd., has more than 25 years of clinical research analyst experience, including hands on monitoring and project management. She brings extensive knowledge about requirements regulating European clinical research procedures. She has conducted oncology research at the Ludwig Institute of cancer in London and has run her own monitoring group for more than 20 years in the UK.

* Christian Tueni, M.D., named Regional Director Eastern European Operation of Averion Clinical Research GmbH, brings considerable oncology, business development and pharmaceutical industry experience. Previously, he served at CRO IMFORM GmbH, where he was instrumental in initiating operations in the Slovak Republic, Hungary and the Balkans; and, at Premier Research Group plc, where he served as Regional Director for a number of Central and Eastern European operations. He was previously a medical adviser to Sanofi Aventis.

About Averion International Corp.

Averion International Corp. is a full service clinical research organization (CRO) that provides clinical research, and regulatory compliance and validation services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device/diagnostic industries. The Company has a therapeutic focus in oncology, dermatology, nephrology and medical devices. Averion clinical research core competencies are in FDA and product registration support, site selection, project management, medical and site monitoring, data management, biometrics, pharmacovigilance, medical writing, and full clinical trial management services throughout the clinical trial's lifecycle. The Company has supported 51 FDA approvals to date with no refusals among submissions accepted for filing; in addition, the Company has helped achieve approvals for 12 oncology-related products, as well as multiple approvals in medical devices, cardiology and dermatology.

Averion provides oncology-specific clinical research services through its Millennix Oncology branded service line. (http://www.averionintl.com)

Averion IT&E International Division offers global regulatory compliance and validation services throughout the product development lifecycle. The Company's team of industry veterans utilize the latest tools and procedures to help its clients move quickly and effectively from drug development through the FDA approval process. Consulting services include regulatory planning, providing skilled personnel for development operations, enterprise software and training to manage data and ensure FDA compliance and validation of new pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. (http://www.iteinternational.com)

Averion is headquartered in Southborough, Mass. and has additional US office locations in New York and California, as well as European offices in Germany, United Kingdom, Austria and Poland.

Forward-Looking Statement 

Included in this press release are "forward-looking statements." Statements in this press release that are forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. The Company refers you to the cautionary statements and risk factors set forth in the documents it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent 10-KSB. The Company is not under any obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.