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EXHIBIT 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMPANY CONTACT: VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Alan Kessman, President and CEO
(203) 498-4210 ph
FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: SHANDWICK INTERNATIONAL
Sue L. Yeoh (investors)
(646) 658-8375 ph
Lisa Bradlow (media)
(212) 579-7428 ph
VION PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCES RESULTS FROM 2000 ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS HELD ON OCTOBER 23, 2000
NEW HAVEN, CT, NOVEMBER 6, 2000 - VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (NASDAQ NM: VION)
today announced the final results from the company's 2000 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, which was held on October 23, 2000 at The Kitano Hotel located at
66 Park Avenue in New York City at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The company's proxy statement asked each stockholder to vote on the following
four proposals:
i) to elect eight directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of
stockholders or until their successors are elected and qualified;
ii) to approve the amendment to the company's certificate of incorporation and
to adopt the provisions related to a classified board of directors;
iii) to approve the adoption of Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2000 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan; and
iv) to ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the company's independent
auditors for the year ending December 31, 2000.
The outcome was as follows:
i) the stockholders elected William R. Miller, Alan Kessman, Michael C.
Bergerac, Frank T. Carey, James L. Ferguson, Alan C. Sartorelli, Ph.D., Walter
B. Wriston and Charles K. MacDonald to the company's Board of Directors;
ii) proposal two was not approved;
iii) the stockholders approved the Employee Stock Purchase Plan; and
iv) the stockholders approved the appointment of Ernst & Young as independent
auditors.
A copy of the corporate slide presentation presented at the Annual Meeting
highlighting the affairs of the company can be found on the company's website at
effective November 7, 2000.
Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the
research, development and commercialization of cancer treatment technologies.
Vion's product portfolio consists of TAPET, a drug delivery platform, and cancer
therapeutics (Triapine'r' and Sulfonyl Hydrazine Prodrugs). TAPET has been
shown in preclinical models to effectively deliver anticancer agents while
having a minimal toxic effect on healthy normal tissues. TAPET uses
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genetically altered strains of Salmonella as a bacterial vector, or vehicle, for
delivering cancer-fighting drugs preferentially to solid tumors. Triapine, which
is designed to prevent the replication of tumor cells by blocking a critical
step in the synthesis of DNA, is currently being evaluated for its safety in
several Phase I clinical trials. Sulfonyl Hydrazine Prodrugs, compounds that are
designed to be converted to unique potent, alkylating agents, are currently
being evaluated in preclinical studies. For additional information on Vion and
its research and product development programs, visit the company's Internet web
site at http://www.vionpharm.com.
Statements included in this press release, which are not historical in nature,
are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements
regarding the company's future business prospects, plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements, including, but not
limited to those contained in Vion Pharmaceuticals' Registration Statement filed
on Form S-3/A (file no. 333-95671). This press release shall not constitute an
offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the common stock nor shall
there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification
under the securities laws of any such state.
