AnorMED Announces Special Shareholder Meeting To Be Held On April 21, 2006

VANCOUVER, March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - AnorMED Inc. announced today that negotiations with the requistionists have been terminated and the Company expects to mail out its proxy circular the week of March 27, 2006.

The upcoming special shareholder meeting will now be held on April 21, 2006 in Vancouver. The record date of the special shareholder meeting, February 28, 2006, remains the same.

The special meeting of shareholders was requisitioned by various entities managed by Felix J. Baker and Julian C. Baker for the purposes of replacing the existing Board of Directors.

AnorMED is a chemistry-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of new therapeutic products in the areas of hematology, HIV and oncology. The Company has a product in Phase III development, a product in Phase II development and a research program focused on a novel class of compounds that target specific chemokine receptors known to be involved in a variety of diseases including HIV. Additional information on AnorMED Inc. is available on the Company’s website www.anormed.com.

Note: Certain of the statements contained in this press release may contain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the Ontario Securities Act, Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements or information regarding strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects and plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates, “believes”, “budgets”, “could”, estimates”, expects,” forecasts”, “intends”, “may”, “plans”, “projects”, “schedule”, “should”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information, although not all forward- looking statements or information contain these identifying words. Plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in any forward-looking statements or information should not be read as guarantees of future results or events, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or the times at or by which such results or events will be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements or information. Investors are referred to the discussion of such risks, uncertainties and other factors in AnorMED’s Final Short Form Prospectus dated December 1, 2005 filed on SEDAR with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and in Exhibit 99.1 to AnorMED’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 2005. Except as required by law, AnorMED expressly disclaims any intention and undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information as conditions change.

For further information: Dr. Michael Abrams Elisabeth Whiting, M.Sc. President & CEO VP Corporate Development Tel: 604-530-1057 & Communications E-mail: mabrams@anormed.com Tel: 604-532-4667 Cell: 604-763-4682 E-mail: ewhiting@anormed.com

AnorMED Inc.

CONTACT: Dr. Michael Abrams, President & CEO, Tel: (604) 530-1057, E-mail:mabrams@anormed.com; Elisabeth Whiting, M.Sc., VP Corporate Development &Communications, Tel: (604) 532-4667, Cell: (604) 763-4682, E-mail:ewhiting@anormed.com