CancerVax Corporation to Host Conference Call and Live Webcast to Discuss Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2004 Financial Results.

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- CancerVax Corporation (NASDAQ:CNVX), a biotechnology company focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel biological products for the treatment and control of cancer, will host a conference call and live webcast on Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern (1:30 p.m. Pacific) to discuss financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2004.

President and CEO David F. Hale will provide an update of the Company's pipeline of biological products for the treatment and control of cancer. In addition, he will discuss 2004 corporate highlights, including the Company's recently announced worldwide collaboration agreement with Serono for the development and commercialization of Canvaxin(TM), an investigational specific active immunotherapy product in two Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of advanced-stage melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.

The conference call will be webcast simultaneously over the Internet. To listen, please visit the Investor Relations section of CancerVax's corporate web site at http://ir.cancervax.com. The webcast will be archived on this site for one year. Alternatively, callers may participate in the conference call by dialing [phone] (domestic) or [phone] (international). The passcode for the conference call is 30569751. A replay of the conference call can be accessed by dialing [phone] (domestic) or [phone] (international) and the passcode is 77382731.

About CancerVax Corporation (www.cancervax.com)

CancerVax Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel biological products for the treatment and control of cancer. The Company's lead product candidate, Canvaxin(TM), is one of a new class of products being developed in the area of specific active immunotherapy, also known as therapeutic cancer vaccines. Canvaxin(TM) is currently being studied in two international Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with Stage III or Stage IV, or advanced-stage, melanoma. In addition to Canvaxin(TM), CancerVax has licensed three specific active immunotherapeutic product candidates targeting the EGFR signaling pathway, including one product candidate in Phase 2 clinical trials. The Company also plans to identify and develop new product candidates based on its proprietary specific active immunotherapy, anti-angiogenesis and telomere signaling T-oligonucleotide technology. CancerVax's corporate headquarters and research and development facility is located in Carlsbad, Calif., and its biologics manufacturing facility is located in the Los Angeles area.

Forward-Looking Statement 

CancerVax cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by CancerVax that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in CancerVax's business, including without limitation: the risk that CancerVax's collaboration agreement with Serono may be terminated by Serono in certain instances; difficulties or delays in researching, developing, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing Canvaxin and its other product candidates; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of Canvaxin and its other product candidates that could delay or prevent product development or commercialization, or that could result in recalls or product liability claims; CancerVax's inability to protect its intellectual property and proprietary technology and to maintain and enforce its licensing arrangements with respect to Canvaxin and its other product candidates; the scope and validity of patent protection for Canvaxin and its other product candidates; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; and other risks detailed in CancerVax's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including CancerVax's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2004. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and CancerVax undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

CancerVax(R) is a registered trademark of CancerVax Corporation.

Canvaxin(TM) is a trademark of CancerVax Corporation.