Avigen, Inc. To Present At CIBC World Markets Annual Biotechnology & Specialty Pharmaceuticals Conference

ALAMEDA, Calif., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avigen, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neurological conditions, announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chahine, Ph.D., J.D., will present at the CIBC World Markets Annual Biotechnology & Specialty Pharmaceuticals Conference.

Avigen will conduct a live webcast of Dr. Chahine's presentation at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 from 1:15-1:45 pm EDT. To access the webcast over the Internet, please go to http://www.avigen.com .

A rebroadcast of the presentation will be available shortly after the conclusion of the session and remain available until May 5, 2006. The replay may be accessed over the Internet at http://www.avigen.com .

About Avigen

Avigen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on unique small molecule therapeutics and biologics to treat serious neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain and neuromuscular spasm and spasticity. Avigen's strategy is to complete the requirements of clinical develop for each of the candidates in its product pipeline, and continue to look for opportunities to expand its pipeline through a combination of internal research, acquisitions, and in- licensing, with the goal of becoming a fully integrated commercial biopharmaceutical company committed to its small molecule and biologics neurology products. The company currently has in development AV650 for neuromuscular spasm and spasticity and two candidates for neuropathic pain, AV411 and AV333. Additionally, the company has in development a compound for the treatment of multiple bleeding disorders, including hemophilia A and B, AV513. For more information about Avigen, consult the company's website at http://www.avigen.com .

Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act

This advisory may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements in this advisory include statements addressing the following subjects: Avigen, Inc.'s (the "Company") expected date and time for the Company's presentation at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City on Wednesday, April 5, 2006. The time and date for the presentation are subject to change due to unforeseen factors. The Company's belief that it will be able to expand its pipeline through internal research, acquisitions, and/or in- licensing, and its belief that it will be able to develop, commercialize or obtain value from its current drug candidates for any indication. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the fact that development of small molecule therapeutics and other therapeutic discovery and development is a time- and resource-intensive process, which may result in the expenditure of a significant amount of time and resources with no marketable product resulting from the effort. Other risks and uncertainties relating to Avigen are detailed in reports filed by Avigen with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Avigen's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005, under the caption "Risk Factors" in Item 1 of Part 1A of that report, which was filed with the SEC on March 16, 2006.

CONTACT: Michael Coffee, Chief Business Officer of Avigen, Inc.,+1-510-748-7372, or ir@avigen.com

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