OXiGENE Announces Clinical Trials Data to be Presented At the 2008


OXiGENE Announces Clinical Trials Data to be Presented At the 2008 Annual       
Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology                            

WALTHAM, Mass., May 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- OXiGENE, Inc. (Nasdaq:OXGN)    
(Stockholm:OXGN), a clinical-stage, biopharmaceutical company developing novel  
therapeutics to treat cancer and eye diseases, announced today that two         
abstracts summarizing data from clinical trials with its vascular disrupting    
agent (VDA) product candidates, fosbretabulin (referred to as combretastatin    
A4-phosphate / CA4P) and OXi4503, will be presented in posters at the upcoming  
2008 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in      
Chicago, IL, May 30-June 3, 2008. Two additional abstracts containing           
fosbretabulin clinical trials data are published in the ASCO meeting program.   
ASCO Poster Presentations:                                                      

    Abstract #3550: A phase I study of combretastatin A4 phosphate              
    (CA4P) and bevacizumab in subjects with advanced solid tumors.              
    Poster presentation by Paul Nathan, MBBS, PhD, FRCP, Consultant             
    Medical Oncologist, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood,                  
    Middlesex, United Kingdom, on Sunday, June 1, 2008,                         
    Developmental Therapeutics:  Molecular Therapeutics, S Hall A1,             
    Poster 22B, 2:00-6:00 p.m.                                                  

    Abstract #3551: Phase I evaluation of vascular disrupting                   
    agent OXi4503.  Poster presentation by Daniel M. Patterson, MD,             
    Department of Medical Oncology, Mount Vernon Hospital,                      
    Northwood, Middlesex, United Kingdom on Sunday, June 1, 2008,               
    Developmental Therapeutics:  Molecular Therapeutics, S Hall A1,             
    Poster 22F, 2:00-6:00 p.m.                                                  
Abstracts Published in the ASCO Annual Meeting Program:                         

    Abstract #14584: Volumetric perfusion CT assessment of                      
    concurrent combretastatin-A4-phosphate (CA4P) and                           
    radiotherapy (RT) in non-small cell lung cancer.                            
    H. C. Mandeville, V. Goh, Q. S. Ng, J. Milner,                              
    M. I. Saunders, P. J. Hoskin.                                               

    Abstract #14517:  A phase I/II trial of radioimmunotherapy                  
    with 131Iodine labeled A5B7 anti-CEA antibody (131I-A5B7) in                
    combination with Combretastatin-A4-Phosphate (CA4P) in advanced             
    gastrointestinal carcinomas.  A. M. Gaya, J. Violet,                        
    G. Dancey, A. Green, M. Stratford, S. Sharma, K. Owen,                      
    A. Padhani, G. J. Rustin, R. H. Begent, T. Meyer.                           
About ZYBRESTAT                                                                 
ZYBRESTAT (fosbretabulin) is currently being evaluated in a pivotal registration
study as a potential treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) under a      
Special Protocol Assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Phase II studies in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and non-small cell 
lung cancer are also ongoing. OXiGENE believes that ZYBRESTAT is poised to      
become the first therapeutic product in a novel class of small-molecule drug    
candidates called vascular disrupting agents (VDAs). Through interaction with   
vascular endothelial cell cytoskeletal proteins, ZYBRESTAT selectively targets  
and collapses tumor vasculature, thereby depriving the tumor of oxygen and      
causing death of tumor cells. In clinical studies in solid tumors, ZYBRESTAT has
demonstrated potent and selective activity against tumor vasculature, as well as
clinical activity against ATC, ovarian cancer, and various other solid tumors.  
In clinical studies in patients with forms of macular degeneration,             
intravenously-administered ZYBRESTAT has demonstrated clinical activity, and the
Company is working to develop a convenient and patient-friendly topical         
formulation of ZYBRESTAT for ophthalmological indications.                      
About OXi4503                                                                   
OXi4503 (combretastatin A1 di-phosphate / CA1P) is a dual-mechanism VDA that is 
being developed in clinical studies for the treatment of solid and liquid       
tumors. Like its structural analog, ZYBRESTAT(TM) (fosbretabulin / CA4P),       
OXi4503 has been observed to block and destroy tumor vasculature, resulting in  
extensive tumor cell death and necrosis. In addition, preclinical data indicates
that OXi4503 is metabolized by oxidative enzymes (e.g., tyrosinase and          
peroxidases), which are elevated in many solid tumors and tumor white blood cell
infiltrates, to an orthoquinone chemical species that has direct cytotoxic      
effects on tumor cells. Preclinical studies have shown that OXi4503 has (i)     
single-agent activity against a range of xenograft tumor models; and (ii)       
synergistic or additive effects when incorporated in various combination        
regimens with chemotherapy, molecularly-targeted therapies (including           
tumor-angiogenesis inhibitors), and radiation therapy. OXi4503 is currently     
being evaluated as a monotherapy in a Phase I dose-escalation clinical trial in 
patients with advanced solid tumors.                                            
About OXiGENE                                                                   
OXiGENE is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel          
therapeutics to treat cancer and eye diseases. The company's major focus is     
developing VDAs that selectively disrupt abnormal blood vessels associated with 
solid tumor progression and visual impairment. OXiGENE is dedicated to          
leveraging its intellectual property and therapeutic development expertise to   
bring life-extending and -enhancing medicines to patients.                      
The OXiGENE, Inc. logo is available at                                          
http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4969                           
Safe Harbor Statement                                                           
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of   
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any or all of the         
forward-looking statements in this press release may turn out to be wrong.      
Forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions OXiGENE    
might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not   
limited to, enrollment rate for patients in the ZYBRESTAT pivotal trial for     
anaplastic thyroid cancer, interim analysis of the same, timing of the IND      
filing and Phase I trial initiation for topical ZYBRESTAT, timing of a Phase II 
clinical trial of ZYBRESTAT and bevacizumab in NSCLC, timing or execution of a  
strategic collaboration on any product or indication, and cash utilization rates
for 2008. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual     
results to materially differ from those in the forward-looking statements is    
contained in OXiGENE's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission,       
including OXiGENE's reports on Form 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. However, OXiGENE        
undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether 
because of new information, future events or otherwise. Please refer to our     
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.         
CONTACT: OXiGENE, Inc.                                                          
         Investor and Media Contact:                                            
         Michelle Edwards, Investor Relations                                   
         (415) 315-9413                                                         
         medwards@oxigene.com