LEXINGTON, Mass., Jan. 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq:AGEN), a developer of therapeutic vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that the company will be presenting at the 6^th Annual OneMedForum San Francisco 2013, which will be held at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco.

Dr. Garo Armen, Chairman and CEO of Agenus, will present a corporate overview on Tuesday, January 8^th at 9:40 am PST in the Franciscan Room.

Between Agenus and its partners, 19 programs are in clinical development. Agenus' QS-21 Stimulon^® adjuvant¹ is being studied in clinical trials for 17 vaccine indications. They include:

• Phase 3: GSK's RTS,S for malaria²
• Phase 3: GSK's MAGE-A3 for non-small cell lung cancer²
• Phase 3: GSK's MAGE-A3 for melanoma²
• Phase 3: GSK's Zoster Herpes for shingles²
• Phase 2: Janssen's ACC-001 for Alzheimer's disease

Agenus pipeline programs include:

• Phase 2: Prophage Series G-100 for newly diagnosed glioma
• Phase 2: Prophage Series G-200 for recurrent glioma
• Phase 2 : HerpV (contains QS-21 Stimulon) for genital herpes

Saponin Platform: QS-21 Stimulon^® Adjuvant

Agenus' licensees include GlaxoSmithKline and Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy. Agenus is generally entitled to receive milestone payments as QS-21-containing programs advance, as well as royalties for 10 years after commercial launch, with some exceptions.

Heat Shock Protein Platform: Prophage Series G

The Prophage Series G vaccines (HSPPC-96; vitespen) are being studied in two different settings of glioma: newly diagnosed and recurrent disease. Glioma is the deadliest form of brain cancer with an average survival of six to 14 months.

Heat Shock Protein Platform: Recombinant Series HerpV                                                                                                       

HerpV is the most advanced HSV-2 vaccine currently in clinical development for the treatment of genital herpes. A Phase 2 study measuring the effect of vaccination on viral shedding in individuals infected with HSV-2 is underway. Data results for this study are anticipated in Q4'13. Experts in HSV-2 clinical research believe that a reduction in viral shedding could translate into the clinical benefit of a reduction in recurrent outbreaks.

Web Cast Information                                                                                   

The live and archived webcast of the company presentation will be accessible from the company's website at www.agenusbio.com/webcast. Please log in approximately 5-10 minutes before each event to ensure a timely connection. The archived replay will be available on the Agenus website for one month following the conference.

About Agenus

Agenus Inc. is a biotechnology company working to develop treatments for cancers and infectious diseases. The company is focused on immunotherapeutic products based on strong platform technologies with multiple product candidates advancing through the clinic, including several product candidates that have advanced into late-stage clinical trials through corporate partners. For more information, please visit www.agenusbio.com.

The Agenus logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8187

Forward-Looking Statement                                  

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding up-coming presentations and technologies, programs, and activities of the company and its licensees. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ended September 30, 2012. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this document, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Agenus' business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those identified above. When evaluating Agenus' business and securities, investors should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

1. QS-21 Stimulon adjuvant and the related agreements, and HerpV are assets of Antigenics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Agenus Inc.
2. QS-21 is a component of GSK adjuvant systems.

Stimulon is a registered trademark of Agenus Inc. and its subsidiaries.