Vion Pharmaceuticals to Present Survival Data on Laromustine at American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Company Introduces New Trade Name Onrigin(TM) for Laromustine

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. today made several announcements related to events in connection with the 50th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from December 6-9, 2008.

Vion Poster Presentation

The Company announced that it would present survival data for its lead anticancer product laromustine in a poster presentation.

New Trade Name for Laromustine

Vion will introduce Onrigin(TM) as the new trade name for laromustine at the Meeting, replacing Cloretazine(R) (VNP40101M).

Vion Co-Sponsors Seminar on Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in Elderly Patients

The Company is co-sponsoring a seminar at the Meeting, in conjunction with MGI Pharmaceuticals and the Geriatric Oncology Consortium, entitled "Treating AML/MDS in the Elderly: New Solutions for a Long-Standing Problem." The seminar will take place in Rooms 3009, 3011, 3022 and 3024 on Friday, December 5 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Moscone Center West.

Other Posters Related to Laromustine and Triapine(R)

The Company announced that additional posters presented by investigators would be made on laromustine and Triapine(R), its second anticancer agent in clinical trials.

About Vion

Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is committed to extending the lives and improving the quality of life of cancer patients worldwide by developing and commercializing innovative cancer therapeutics. Vion has two agents in clinical trials. Onrigin(TM) (laromustine), formerly known as Cloretazine(R) (VNP40101M), a unique alkylating agent, is being evaluated in a Phase II pivotal trial as a single agent in elderly patients with previously untreated de novo poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia. Clinical trials of Onrigin(TM) (laromustine) with cytarabine in elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, with standard remission-induction therapy in patients with AML and myelodysplatic syndromes (MDS), with temozolomide in brain tumors, and with stem cell transplantation in advanced hematologic malignancies, are also being conducted. Triapine(R), a potent inhibitor of a key step in DNA synthesis, is being evaluated in clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. For additional information on Vion and its product development programs, visit the Company's Internet web site at www.vionpharm.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risk factors which may cause Vion's plans to differ or results to vary from those expected, including Vion's potential inability to file a New Drug Application or obtain regulatory approval for its products, particularly Onrigin(TM) (laromustine) (formerly Cloretazine(R) (VNP40101M)), delays in the regulatory approval process or delays or unfavorable results of drug trials, the possibility that favorable results of earlier preclinical studies, clinical trials or interim clinical trial data are not predictive of safety and efficacy results in later or final clinical trials, the need for additional research and testing, the inability to manufacture product, the potential inability to secure external sources of funding to continue operations, the inability to access capital and funding on favorable terms, continued operating losses and the inability to continue operations as a result, and a variety of other risks set forth from time to time in Vion's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risks attendant to the forward-looking statements included under Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in Vion's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2008. In particular, there can be no assurance as to the results of any of the Vion's clinical trials, that any of these trials will continue to full accrual, or that any of these trials will not be discontinued, modified, delayed or ceased altogether. Except in special circumstances in which a duty to update arises under law when prior disclosure becomes materially misleading in light of subsequent events, Vion does not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

CONTACT: Alan Kessman, Chief Executive Officer, Howard B. Johnson,
President & CFO, both of Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-203-498-4210

Web site: http://www.vionpharm.com/

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