Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq and MTA CTIC) announced that data from CTIs pivotal phase III EXTEND (PIX301) trial of pixantrone in patients with advanced, relapsed aggressive nonHodgkins lymphoma (NHL) will be presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which will be held from May 29 to June 2, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.

Ruth Pettengell, M.D. of St. Georges Hospital, University of London, an investigator on the study, is scheduled to present the data on Monday, June 1, 2009 during the Lymphoma and Plasma Cell Disorders session that will be held from 200 PM600 PM Eastern Time. The presentation, abstract #8523, is titled, “Randomized Phase III trial of pixantrone compared with other chemotherapeutic agents for thirdline singleagent treatment of relapsed aggressive nonHodgkins lymphoma.”

CTI expects to complete the submission of a New Drug Application (”NDA”) for pixantrone this quarter and will request priority review which if granted could lead to an approval decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (”FDA”) during the fourth quarter of 2009.

About Pixantrone

Pixantrone (BBR 2778), is a novel major groove binder with an azaanthracenedione molecular structure that differentiates it from the anthracyclines and other related chemotherapy agents. Anthracyclines are the cornerstone therapeutic for the treatment of lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. Although they are sufficiently effective to be used as firstline (initial) treatment, they cause cumulative heart damage that may result in congestive heart failure many years later. As a result, there is a lifetime limit of anthracycline doses and most patients who previously have been treated with an anthracycline are not able to receive further anthracycline treatment if their disease returns. Pixantrone has been designed to reduce the potential for these severe cardiotoxicities without sacrificing anticancer activity. It also can be administered through a peripheral vein rather than a central implanted catheter as required for other drugs in this class.

About Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable.

About Pixantrone

Pixantrone (BBR 2778), is a novel major groove binder with an azaanthracenedione molecular structure that differentiates it from the anthracyclines and other related chemotherapy agents. Anthracyclines are the cornerstone therapeutic for the treatment of lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. Although they are sufficiently effective to be used as firstline (initial) treatment, they cause cumulative heart damage that may result in congestive heart failure many years later. As a result, there is a lifetime limit of anthracycline doses and most patients who previously have been treated with an anthracycline are not able to receive further anthracycline treatment if their disease returns. Pixantrone has been designed to reduce the potential for these severe cardiotoxicities without sacrificing anticancer activity. It also can be administered through a peripheral vein rather than a central implanted catheter as required for other drugs in this class.

About Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable.

This press release includes forwardlooking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and/or adversely affect actual future results. Specifically, the risks and uncertainties that could affect the development of pixantrone include risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general and with pixantrone in particular including, without limitation, the potential failure of pixantrone to prove safe and effective for treatment of relapsed aggressive NHL as determined by the FDA, the possibility that the New Drug Application submission will not be completed in the second quarter of 2009, that priority review will not be granted by the FDA and that a decision by the FDA is not rendered in late 2009, the companys ability to continue to raise capital as needed to fund its operations, competitive factors, technological developments, costs of developing, producing and selling pixantrone, and the risk factors listed or described from time to time in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, the Companys most recent filings on Forms 10K, 8K, and 10Q. Except as may be required by law, CTI does not intend to update or alter its forwardlooking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Source Cell Therapeutics, Inc