GERMANTOWN, Md., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq and NYSE ArcaEx: AVRX), today announced that Gary Lessing, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is scheduled to provide an update on the company at the 2007 SIGnificant Investment Options in Healthcare Conference sponsored by Susquehanna Financial Group, LLLP. The meeting will be held at the Omni Berkshire Place in New York City on March 1, 2007. Mr. Lessing is scheduled to present at 8:30 a.m. EST, in the Metropolitan Room. A live audio webcast of this presentation can be accessed on Avalon Pharmaceuticals' website, http://www.avalonrx.com/ and a replay of the presentation will be available for 90 days following the conference. Mr. Lessing is also scheduled to participate in a panel discussion entitled, "New World Order: Convergence of Healthcare Investors." That discussion will be held from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST, in the Julliard Ballroom. About Avalon Pharmaceuticals Avalon Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company using its proprietary technology, AvalonRx(R), to discover and develop cancer therapeutics. Avalon has a lead product in Phase I clinical development (AVN944 - IMPDH inhibitor), as well as preclinical programs to discovery inhibitors for the beta-catenin and aurora pathways now in late stage lead candidate optimization. Avalon also has discovery programs on modulators of survivin function and a drug discovery program targeting the MYC oncoprotein, one of the most important and previously intractable cancer targets. The company has value generating partnerships with MedImmune, Medarex, and Novartis. Avalon Pharmaceuticals was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Germantown, Md. About AvalonRx(R) AvalonRx(R) is a comprehensive, innovative and proprietary suite of technologies based upon large-scale gene expression analysis. This platform facilitates drug discovery by expanding the range of therapeutic targets for drug intervention, including targets and target pathways frequently considered intractable using conventional HTS approaches, allows more informed decisions about which compounds to advance towards clinical trials, and facilitates drug development through identification of biomarkers of efficacy that can stratify patients or provide early indicators of response. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainty and changes in circumstances, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or achievements. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature are forward looking. Economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Avalon's business are examples of factors, among others, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are also expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in Avalon's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K. Avalon is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Noonan Russo Gary Lessing Wendy Lau (Media) Executive Vice President & CFO Tel: (212) 845-4272 Tel: (301) 556-9900 Fax: (301) 556-9910 The Trout Group LLC Email: Chad Rubin (Investors) Tel: (212) 477-9007 ext. 47 DATASOURCE: Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Gary Lessing, Executive Vice President & CFO of Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tel: +1-301-556-9900, or Fax: +1-301-556-9910, or ; or Media, Wendy Lau, of Noonan Russo for Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-212-845-4272; or Investors, Chad Rubin of The Trout Group LLC for Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-212-477-9007 ext. 47 Web site: http://www.avalonrx.com/

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