IGENEON AND IMMUNICON FORM DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE.

Immunicon Corporation and igeneon have formed a clinical collaboration aimed at the registration of igeneon's cancer immunotherapies and to expand the indications for use of Immunicon's diagnostic tests. Both companies are currently focused on cancers of epithelial origin, which account for approximately 70% of all cancers. igeneon is developing cancer immunotherapies that are designed to reduce or eliminate disseminated tumor cells that cause the development and spread of metastases. Immunicon has developed diagnostic instruments and reagents for isolation, enumeration and profiling of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a whole blood sample.

Cancer metastases occur when cells shed from the primary tumor and enter the circulation thereby disseminating into various organs of the body to eventually grow at distant locations. igeneon's immunotherapies target disseminated tumor cells and are aimed at preventing or delaying the development and further spread of metastases in cancer patients. Improved diagnostic tests to assess these processes are of great importance to companies like igeneon, because they offer a means for real-time monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. Immunicon is developing automated diagnostic tools that isolate and quantify circulating tumor cells with far greater sensitivity and specificity than current methods. Data from Immunicon's research clinical studies suggest that there is a correlation between the change in the number of CTCs in blood and disease progression in patients with metastatic breast cancer. As the early data are validated by additional clinical trials, CTCs may become a surrogate end point for disease status, as opposed to waiting many months or years for end points such as disease progression and survival data. Consequently, the cost of clinical trials could be reduced and registration of cancer therapies could be accelerated because the studies could be completed more quickly.

The collaboration commenced in January 2003 with two clinical trials for igeneon products - an open label multi-center Phase II study for the IGN101 vaccine in Austria and Germany and a Phase I study with the IGN311 humanized monoclonal antibody in Germany. Immunicon will analyze blood samples taken repeatedly from participating patients for igeneon, to assess possible changes in the number of CTC's during immunotherapy. In return, Immunicon may use the data generated to support expanding the list of indications, in terms of types of cancer and stages of disease, for its diagnostic products. Immunicon anticipates obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marketing clearance for its CellTracks(tm) Analyzer and CellTracks(tm) AutoPrep(tm) Sample Preparation System and associated reagents by the end of 2003.

Hans Loibner, Ph.D., president and CEO of igeneon, commented, "In a jointly performed pre-study, Immunicon's technology has shown clear performance advantages over several other cellular analysis methods tested. We now look forward to utilizing Immunicon technology to monitor the effects of our cancer immunotherapies on CTCs as part of various clinical trials. These results may finally lead to a correlation of accepted clinical endpoints such as survival, with the influence of our therapeutic approaches on CTCs."

Edward L. Erickson, chairman, president and CEO of Immunicon, stated, "We are pleased to form this clinical development alliance with igeneon. Our cellular analysis technology will be used to enumerate circulating tumor cells in several large, well-controlled clinical trials. Both companies should benefit from the use of our assays. igeneon will be able to look early on at the potential efficacy of their immunotherapies, while Immunicon should have access to a large data set to support assessment of additional indications for our tests."

About igeneon

igeneon is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the development of active and passive cancer immunotherapies designed to prevent or delay the development of metastases in cancers of epithelial origin. The company has built up a diversified portfolio consisting of three lead products with broad applicability in clinical trials up to phase II/III as well as a number of innovative follow-up projects. igeneon is privately held. Investors include 3i, Novartis Venture Fund and Deutsche Venture Capital. The company is based in Vienna, Austria. For further information, visit www.igeneon.com.

About Immunicon

Immunicon Corporation is a private, biomedical products company that has developed a revolutionary diagnostic platform based on selection and characterization of rare cells in blood. The Company's principal focus is on products for the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of cancer. Advanced Diagnostic and Cellular Systems (ADCS) division of Ortho- Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, has exclusive marketing rights to Immunicon's technology in the cancer field and is working closely with Immunicon to bring this new technology to market. Immunicon's technology is broadly applicable to other fields of diagnostics, drug development and life science research. The Company received its first regulatory clearance from the FDA in 2002 and clinical studies leading to additional regulatory submissions are in progress.

For more information, visit http://www.immunicon.com or call 215-830-0777 ext. 121.