LORUS' VIRULIZIN EFFECTIVE AGAINST PANCREATIC TUMORS.

Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (TSE:LOR.) (OTCBB:LORFF), Toronto, has announced that its lead anti-cancer drug, Virulizin(R) has demonstrated strong anti-tumor activity in mice containing human pancreatic tumor cells, which are resistant to gemcitabine, the standard treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.

The pre-clinical findings reveal that treatment with Virulizin(R) led to significant inhibition of tumor growth, and in one test, total regressions occurred in four out of nine mice during approximately five weeks of treatment. However, during the same time period treatment with gemcitabine proved to be ineffective.

While gemcitabine is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, almost all patients treated with it eventually become resistant to its anti-tumor properties. Although approximately 70 per cent of these patients are still alive at this stage, there are no effective alternative chemotherapeutic approaches available to treat them further, which adds greater significance to the latest Virulizin(R) findings.

"The results of our previous Phase I and II clinical trials and the recent pre-clinical findings with human pancreatic cancer provide us with great optimism for the pivotal Phase III clinical trial that Lorus will initiate in the new year," said Dr. Jim Wright, president, Lorus. "In this Phase III trial, we plan to evaluate Virulizin(R) as a treatment for pancreatic cancer patients that have failed treatment with a gemcitabine containing regimen."

These positive pre-clinical results support Lorus' recent announcement that it plans to file an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to begin a Phase III clinical trial for Virulizin(R) in North America. The decision to proceed to Phase III clinical trials was based on the promising clinical data obtained from recently completed clinical trials that treated advanced pancreatic cancer patients with Virulizin(R). This analysis of results suggested that the overall survival of patients treated with Virulizin(R) was superior to patients treated with gemcitabine in one comparable clinical study. In addition, the findings indicated that the number of adverse effects associated with Virulizin(R) treatment was very low when compared to traditional chemotherapy.

About Lorus

Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of cancer therapies. Lorus' goal is to capitalize on its research, pre-clinical, clinical and regulatory expertise by developing new drug candidates that can be used, either alone, or in combination, to successfully manage cancer. Through an active acquisition and in-licensing program, Lorus is building a portfolio of promising anti-cancer drugs. Late-stage clinical developments and marketing will be done in cooperation with strategic pharmaceutical partners. Founded in 1986, Lorus Therapeutics Inc. is a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LOR, and on the OTC BB exchange under the symbol LORFF.

For more information, visit http://www.lorusthera.com or call 416/599-6152.