Poniard Pharmaceuticals to Host First Quarter 2008 Financial Results Conference Call on May 6

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, today announced that it will hold a conference call to discuss the Company's first quarter results and provide a corporate update, including an update on the clinical development plan for picoplatin, the Company's lead product candidate. Jerry McMahon, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer, Ronald A. Martell, president and chief operating officer, Caroline Loewy, chief financial officer, and Robert De Jager, M.D., chief medical officer, will host the call beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (2:00 p.m. Pacific time) on Tuesday, May 6. A press release for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008, will be released after markets close on May 6.

To participate in the live call by telephone, please dial 877-440-5791 from the U.S. or +1-719-325-4909 for international callers. In addition, the live conference call is being webcast and can be accessed on the "Events" page of the "News & Events" section of the Company's website at http://www.poniard.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company's website for 14 days.

About Poniard Pharmaceuticals

Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative oncology products to impact the lives of people with cancer. Picoplatin, the Company's lead platform product candidate, is a new generation platinum therapy with an improved safety profile relative to existing platinum-based cancer therapies. Picoplatin is designed to overcome platinum resistance associated with chemotherapy in solid tumors, and is being studied in multiple cancer indications, combinations and formulations. Clinical trials of intravenous picoplatin include a Phase 3 trial in small cell lung cancer and Phase 2 trials in metastatic colorectal and hormone-refractory prostate cancers, as well as a Phase 1 clinical trial of oral picoplatin in solid tumors. Picoplatin has not been approved by any regulatory authority for use in humans. For additional information please visit http://www.poniard.com.

(C) 2008 Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Poniard and Poniard Pharmaceuticals are trademarks of Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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